New Delhi:
Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Germany have emerged as the top five international higher education destinations for Indian students, according to a new report released by NITI Aayog on Monday.
The report revealed that Canada hosted the highest number of Indian students in 2024, with nearly 4.27 lakh Indians pursuing higher education there. The United States followed with 3.37 lakh students, while the United Kingdom hosted 1.85 lakh, Australia had 1.22 lakh, and Germany accounted for 42,997 Indian students.
India remains the world’s largest source country of international students, with more than 13.35 lakh Indians studying abroad in 2024. The report also noted that India has the largest higher education-age population (18–23 years) globally, at 15.5 crore.
Brain Drain Widening
The report flagged a growing concern over brain drain, stating that for every one international student coming to India, 28 Indian students went abroad in 2024.
Foreign Students in India
Using data from 2021–22, the report titled “Internationalisation of Higher Education in India” highlighted that Nepal, Afghanistan, the United States, Bangladesh and the UAE were the top source countries for foreign students studying in India.
Interestingly, in terms of proportion, Latvia hosted the highest percentage of Indian students at 17.4%, followed by Ireland (15.3%) and Germany (10.1%), based on 2020 figures.
Indian States Sending Students Abroad
Among Indian states, Andhra Pradesh topped the list with 35,614 students going overseas for higher education, followed by Punjab (33,412) and Maharashtra (29,079).
Surge in Education Remittances
The report also highlighted a sharp rise in outward remittances under the Reserve Bank of India’s Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS). Education-related remittances surged from Rs 975 crore in 2014 to nearly Rs 29,000 crore in 2024, reflecting the scale of overseas education spending by Indian families.