Parliament Question: Indian Students Studying Abroad

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4012 ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025 Indian Students Studying Abroad

4012. Shri P C Mohan:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) the total number of Indian students who have gone abroad for higher education during the last five years, year and country-wise;

(b) whether the Government has undertaken any bilateral or multilateral measures to facilitate easier VISA processing, academic recognition or student mobility agreements with other countries;

(c) whether the Government has developed any support system to assist such students during travel, documentation and emergencies;

(d) whether any scholarships, low-interest education loans or financial assistance schemes are being provided by the Government to support students from economically weaker sections for this purpose; and

(e) the steps taken/to be taken by the Government to ensure that students from all regions, including States like Karnataka are made aware of and access to these schemes? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a) to (e): The Ministry of Education does not maintain data related to Indian students going abroad for higher studies. 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 in the last five years is under:

Year 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Number of 260363 445582 752111 894783 760073 StudentsGovernment 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.

Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) has been set up by Government of India in all Indian Missions and Posts abroad 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 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.

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