Canada the most desirable study destination among 13 lakh India students abroad: Govt

In a trend that emphasises the growing aspiration for higher education beyond India, the number of Indian students seeking studies abroad has risen sharply.

According to information presented by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh in the Rajya Sabha, a record 1,335,878 Indian students have been enrolled in higher education programs overseas in 2024. This marks an increase from 1,318,955 students in 2023 and 907,404 in 2022.

The minister provided this data in response to inquiries regarding the government's monitoring of students emigrating for educational purposes. The figures reveal a significant shift in educational patterns, with Canada emerging as the most popular destination for Indian students.

Explaining the reason behind this, Saurabh Arora, the founder and CEO of University Living, told BT, "Canada has become an increasingly popular destination for Indian students, nearly matching the number heading to the US, despite having fewer universities. The appeal lies in Canada's significantly lower tuition fees compared to the US, UK, or parts of Europe, making it more affordable."

Of the total number of students studying abroad, approximately 427,000 have chosen to pursue their studies in Canada. The United States follows closely with 337,630 Indian students, while smaller numbers are reported in other countries such as China (8,580), Greece (8), Israel (900), Pakistan (14), and Ukraine (2,510).

In a statement to the Press Trust of India (PTI), Minister Singh emphasised the proactive role of Indian missions abroad in supporting students. He noted, “Indian missions/posts abroad constantly engage with Indian students studying overseas and encourage them to either register with us or on the Global Rishta Portal. They organize 'Welcome Ceremonies' for first-time travellers to provide essential security information regarding their host countries.”

Furthermore, Singh elaborated on the registration process for students, stating that these missions facilitate voluntary data collection to better understand the Indian student population abroad. They also coordinate with host governments to obtain data on Indian students studying in their countries.

In addition to supporting student safety and data collection, the minister indicated that the government is actively working to expand visa-free travel opportunities for Indians.