More than 30 lakh Indian students went abroad for higher studies in 6 years

Junior Education Minister Subhash Sarkar said the number of students going abroad has increased by 68% compared to 444,553 students going abroad in 2021.

According to a Hindustan Times report, 454,009 students went abroad for higher education in 2017, followed by 517,998 in 2018 and 586,337 in 2019. During the Covid pandemic, the number fell by half, to 259,655 in 2020.

Collectively, more than 30 lakh Indians went abroad for higher education between 2017 and 2022, the education ministry told the Lok Sabha.

The minister was also asked whether the amount being spent by Indian students abroad is more than the country’s education budget and whether the government has any proposal to establish “high-quality international universities” to conserve the said funds. .

In response to this question, the government said that so far there is no proposal to establish an international university in the country.

“However, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has drafted proactive regulations to facilitate setting up of campuses of foreign higher education institutions in India.

“The draft of the University Grants Commission (Establishment and Management of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023 was placed in the public domain by January 18, 2023 seeking feedback, suggestions, comments etc. from all stakeholders. However, in view of the requests received from the stakeholders , the deadline for receiving comments on the draft regulation has been extended to February 20,” he said.

Separately, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal lamented Indians going to other countries for education. The Delhi Chief Minister said that India should have the ability to attract students from all over the world instead of “our youth going abroad”.