The preferences of Indian students for studying abroad are changing. Indian students are now going to Russia more than Canada. The number of students going to Canada, the US and the UK is decreasing. Apart from Russia, the interest of Indian students has also increased in France and Germany.
Canada has been considered a hot spot for Indian students for the last few years. Especially, a large number of students from Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat were going to Canada. But if we look at the new data, this trend seems to be changing to some extent.
In fact, in the Lok Sabha recently, when Union Minister of State for Education Sukant Majumdar presented the data of the last three years in response to a question raised by MP E.T. Mohammad Bashir, several shocking figures came to light. Apart from studies, for students going to Canada from Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat, getting a Canadian PR visa and then finding a job was also a big attraction. But despite this, a decline is being recorded.
The most surprising thing was that the desire to study abroad among Indian students seemed to have decreased slightly. In 2024, 15 percent more people went abroad for studies compared to the previous year. Another piece of information that will surprise you is that now Indian students are looking at Russia as a good option.
First of all, talking about statistics, according to the Ministry of Education, in 2024, the number of Indian students going to study abroad has decreased by 15%. While more than 7.5 lakh students were studying abroad in 2022, this number decreased to less than 6.5 lakh in 2024.
The biggest decline was seen in Canada. More than 4 lakh students went to Canada in 2023, but in 2024 this number decreased to less than 2.5 lakh. This is a huge drop of 41%!” But on the other hand, the story of Russia is completely opposite. Where 11 thousand students went to Russia in 2023, this number increased by 33% in 2024 and became much higher. Russia is now becoming the first choice of Indian students. Now the question is why is this? Because the Russian government is increasing scholarships and taking many steps to attract students.
Canada was once a favorite destination for students, but today people are hesitant to go to the same Canada? When asked about this, experts say that the increasing political tension between India and Canada, strict immigration laws are the reason for this.
Let us tell you that not only Canada, the number of students going to the US and the UK has also decreased. The number of students in the US will decrease from 2 lakh 34 thousand in 2023 to 2 lakh in 2024, i.e. a direct decline of 13%. The reason for this is the current US President Trump. Indian students are easily influenced by Donald Trump. are not able to trust and are hesitant to go to America due to their changing policies. If we talk about the UK, then the number of Indian students in the UK has also come down from 1 lakh 36 thousand to 98 thousand students, the reason for this can be stricter visa rules and changes in job opportunities. It is clear from these figures presented in the Lok Sabha that Indian students are now taking decisions keeping in mind their options. While on one hand, countries like Canada are driving away students due to stress and strict rules, on the other hand, countries like Russia are attracting students with various scholarships and providing new opportunities. This change is not just a matter of statistics, but also reflects a change in the thinking and priorities of Indian students.
