NITI Aayog Report Reveals Major Findings! These Countries Have Become the Top Choices for Indian Students
A NITI Aayog report has revealed that in 2024, Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, and Germany have become the most preferred study destinations for Indian students.
Millions of young people in India today dream of going abroad for better education and a brighter future. A new report released by NITI Aayog on Monday points to this reality. According to the report, a large number of Indian students are going abroad for higher education. This trend has accelerated in 2024. Significantly, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany have emerged as the most preferred countries for Indian students.
The NITI Aayog report indicates that Canada remains the top choice for Indian students. In 2024, approximately 4.27 lakh Indian students went to Canada for studies. The universities, the academic environment, and job opportunities there are highly attractive to students. Canada's easy visa process and post-study work opportunities are also considered major reasons for this.
The US and the UK are also among the top destinations
After Canada, the US is in second place. According to the report, more than 3.37 lakh Indian students are studying in the US. This is followed by the United Kingdom, where 1.85 lakh Indian students are pursuing higher education. More than 1.22 lakh Indian students are studying in Australia and approximately 43,000 in Germany. These figures show that the preferences of Indian students have now spread to several countries.
India becomes the largest source country for students
The report states that India has now become the world's largest source country for students. In 2024, more than 13.35 lakh Indian students were studying abroad. Meanwhile, the number of young people aged 18 to 23 in India is approximately 155 million, which is the highest in the world. This means that the number of students going abroad is likely to increase further in the future.
Foreign students coming to study in India
The report also mentions foreign students coming to study in India. The report, titled ‘Internationalization of Higher Education in India,’ provides data for the 2021-22 academic year. According to the report, the largest number of foreign students came to India from Nepal, Afghanistan, the USA, Bangladesh, and the UAE. However, this number is significantly lower than the number of Indian students going abroad for studies.
High Cost of Studying Abroad
Studying abroad is not only a dream but also a significant financial undertaking. According to the report, approximately 850,000 Indian students studying in Canada, the USA, the UK, and Australia spent around ₹2.9 lakh crore in 2023-24. This includes tuition fees, accommodation, food, and other expenses. This amount represents a significant outflow of funds from the Indian economy.
Indian Students' Share Growing Rapidly in Some Countries
The report also highlights that the number of Indian students has increased rapidly in some smaller countries. Indian students constitute 17.4 percent of the student population in Latvia, 15.3 percent in Ireland, and 10.1 percent in Germany. This clearly indicates that students are now exploring new options beyond traditional destinations.
State-wise Distribution of Students Going Abroad
Looking at the state-wise distribution, Andhra Pradesh was the largest source of students going abroad. According to 2020 data, 35,614 students from Andhra Pradesh went abroad for higher education. This was followed by Punjab with 33,412 students and Maharashtra with 29,079 students.
