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India witnessing decline in international academic migrations
The decline was noted at a time when a growing anti-immigration sentiment is seen in many parts of the world, including governments capping foreign students' acceptance.
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Jeffin T. Kaleekal - Thu, 12, Feb 2026
- 03:00 EST
- 27
Representative image / Canva
The Government of India recently revealed that the number of Indian students going abroad for higher education has significantly declined over the past three years.
Responding to a written question posed in the Rajya Sabha, the Union Minister of State for Education, Sukanta Majumdar, shared statistics about education related migration in the past few years.
Based on information provided by the Union home ministry's Bureau of Immigration (BoI), the minister claimed that over 9.08 lakh Indians travelled overseas for study in 2023, a number that fell to 7.7 lakh in 2024 and further to 6.26 lakh in 2025.
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The minister claimed, "Studies abroad are a matter of individual will and choice, which is contingent on a variety of factors such as affordability, access to bank loans, exposure to foreign societies, aptitude for particular branch of studies etc. The government recognises the reality of a global workplace, especially in an era of knowledge economy."
He added, "A successful, prosperous, and influential expats is viewed as an asset for India. The government's efforts are also aimed at harnessing the potential of the expats, including the sharing of knowledge and expertise."
The minister, in his response, also highlighted the efforts taken by the Indian government to offer global-quality education within India, he claimed that "so far, 14 foreign institutions have received approval (to establish campuses in India), while five overseas universities have been cleared to operate in GIFT City, Gujarat."
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