The figure represents the highest in the past three years, up from 11,58,702 in 2021 and 9,07,404 in 2022
The trend of Indian students pursuing higher education abroad has reached new heights, with Canada emerging as the top choice for over 4 lakh students in 2023. This marks a significant rise in the number of Indian students opting for Canadian universities, as confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a report presented to the Rajya Sabha on August 8, 2024.
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The MEA report also sheds light on a concerning statistic: among the 403 Indian students who have died abroad since 2018, 91 were in Canada — the highest number for any country
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Despite this, the overall number of Indian students studying abroad has been on an upward trajectory, with 13,18,955 students enrolling in institutions across 68 countries in 2023
According to the data, a staggering 4,27,085 Indian students chose Canada for their studies in 2023, making it the most favored destination. The United States followed closely with 3,51,106 students. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) also attracted a significant number of Indian students, with 2,47,325 enrollments. Other popular destinations included Australia (1,24,829 students) and the United Kingdom (around 1,20,000 students).
Interestingly, countries such as Germany and Russia also hosted a considerable number of Indian students, with 24,474 and 25,278 students, respectively. Additionally, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Georgia rounded out the top ten, welcoming 9,785, 16,500, and 16,254 Indian students, respectively.
The surge in Indian students opting for Canada contradicts concerns raised about the potential impact of strained diplomatic relations between India and Canada. In response to a query from Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury, Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh confirmed that, despite these concerns, the number of Indian students studying in Canada has continued to rise over the last three years.
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