Lok Sabha Question No. 1165 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-08
Subject: Higher Studies Abroad
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Sasikanth Senthil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1165

ANSWERED ON 08.12.2025

## Higher Studies Abroad

1165. Shri Sasikanth Senthil:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of Indian students who went abroad for higher studies in the year 2024 and the manner in which this compares with the figure for 2023;
- (b) the major destination countries and the disciplines chosen by these students;
- (c) the factors identified by the Government responsible for this outward student mobility;
- (d) the steps taken/proposes to be taken to facilitate recognition of foreign qualifications and ease of return of such students to India; and
- (e) the measures in place to mitigate the challenges faced by Indian students abroad such as visa hurdles, rising living costs and geopolitical risks?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

- (a) to (e): As per information provided by the Bureau of Immigration (BoI), the number of Indians who disclosed their purpose of visit as STUDY/EDUCATION while going abroad during the years 2023 and 2024 are as under:

| Year               |   2023 |   2024 |
|--------------------|--------|--------|
| Number of Students | 894783 | 760073 |

Purpose of Indians going abroad for higher studies is captured by BoI manually, based either on their verbal disclosure or the type of visa of the destination country, produced by them at the time of  according  Immigration  clearance.  Based  on  this  data  the  top  destination  countries  include United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and Germany. This data, however, does not include the type of courses being pursued by the students in the foreign countries.

Higher studies abroad are a matter of individual will and choice shaped by one's aspirations for broader  opportunities,  enhanced  career  prospects,  and  meaningful  international  exposure . Government has undertaken various measures to facilitate VISA processing, academic recognition and student mobility with other countries, through framework mechanisms like agreements on Mutual Recognition of Qualifications (MRQs)  and  Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreements (MMPAs).

For  streamlining  the  process  of  recognition  of  foreign  degrees  in  India,  University  Grants Commission (UGC) has notified the "Recognition and Grant of Equivalence to Qualifications Obtained from Foreign Educational Institutions Regulations, 2025'. The regulations are available at https://equivalence.ugc.ac.in/uploads/regulation.pdf. Further, UGC has operationalized the portal https://equivalence.ugc.ac.in/ to grant equivalence of foreign qualifications.

With a view to provide on-site welfare on a means-tested basis and also to meet the contingency expenditure  incurred  by  Indian  Citizens  including  Indian  students  studying  abroad,  Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) has been set up by Government of India in all Indian Missions and Posts abroad. Indian Missions /Posts abroad also encourage Indian students travelling abroad for higher studies to register with them as also on MADAD Portal so that their grievances and issues can be addressed in a time bound manner.

*****