The Changing Patterns of India’s Student Migration

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 – Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests,Indian diaspora.

Introduction

India’s student migration has moved beyond elite universities or programmes that are fully funded to become a mass, self-financed movement driven by middle-class aspirations. Students now migrate not only for education but also for social mobility, global exposure, and permanent settlement. While rising numbers suggest wider access to foreign education, this shift also exposes serious risks related to education quality, employment outcomes, financial stress, and long-term economic consequences.

Current Status of Indian Student Migration

1. Rapid growth in student numbers: Indian students abroad crossed 13.2 lakh in 2023, increased to 13.35 lakh in 2024, and are projected to reach 13.8 lakh in 2025, spread across more than 70 countries.
2. Major destination countries: The United States and Canada together host about 40% of Indian students, followed by the United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany as preferred destinations.
3. Recognition as a diaspora category: Students are now formally recognised as a major part of India’s diaspora, as reflected in the Parliamentary Committee on the Welfare of Indian Diaspora (2022).
4. Shift towards self-financed migration: Student migration is no longer limited to funded programmes. It is increasingly supported by family savings, loans, and private financing.

Reasons for the Changing Pattern in India’s Student Migration

1. Middle-class aspirations and social mobility: Foreign education is seen as a pathway to better wages, higher status, and improved living standards for middle-class households.
2. Education as a route to settlement: For many students, studying in OECD countries is closely linked to hopes of permanent residency and long-term security.
3. Limited domestic opportunities: Concerns about education quality and well-paid employment within Indiapush students to look for opportunities abroad.
4. Influence of recruitment agents: Education agents play a central role in guiding student choices, often directing them towards institutions with easier entry requirements.
5. Expansion of an unregulated education market: The foreign education industry has grown rapidly with limited oversight, enabling profit-driven admissions rather than outcome-based selection.

Major Concerns Related to Indian Student Migration

1. Entry into lower-tier institutions: Many students are channelled into lower-ranked universities or vocational colleges instead of strong academic institutions.
2. Mismatch between courses and skills: Students often enrol in programmes unrelated to their academic background, reducing their employability after graduation.
3. Commission-driven admissions: Tie-ups between recruitment networks and less credible colleges are driven mainly by commissions rather than student outcomes.
4. Deskilling and weak career progression: A large number of graduates fail to move into skilled employment, resulting in underemployment and wasted qualifications.
5. Declining academic standards in some destinations: In the U.K., what were once polytechnics have become universities post 1992 that cater primarily to international students, sometimes waiving entry requirements and triggering controversy due to declining academic standards..
6. Poor transition to skilled visas: In the U.K., reports suggest that approximately only one in four Indian postgraduates secures a sponsored skilled visa.

Living, Work and Visa-Related Challenges

1. High cost of overseas education: Students often spend ₹40–50 lakh on tuition and living expenses, creating long-term financial pressure on families.
2. Rising living costs and restricted work hours: High rents, limited work hours, and visa caps make it difficult for students to manage daily expenses.
3. Dependence on low-wage employment: Many students take up unskilled and low-paid jobs, often juggling multiple part-time roles to survive.
4. Risk of exploitation and informality: Long working hours, weak protections, and undocumented work expose students to exploitation and stress.
5. Shrinking visa pathways: In the U.K., the student-to-care visa route that existed until 2024 has been closed, reducing short-term survival options.

Impacts of the Changing Student Migration Pattern

1. Reverse remittances and household burden: Many students fail to recover education costs and return in debt, leading to reverse remittances where Indian households subsidise foreign economies.
2. State-level impact:
   • The Kerala Migration Survey 2023 shows student migration doubling from 1.29 lakh in 2018 to 2.5 lakh in 2023, forming 11.3% of total emigrants.
   • Outward student remittances from Kerala are estimated at ₹43,378 crore, nearly 20% of inward remittancesfrom labour migrants.
3. Economic gains for host countries: International students contributed $30.9 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2022 and supported over 3.61 lakh jobs, while Indian students formed about 45% of enrolments in 2023.
4. Creation of a new low-cost labour pool: Student migration has become a source of cheap labour for OECD economies, funded through debt rather than employer demand.

Way forward

1. Stronger regulation of education agents: Education agents need stricter regulation to stop misleading practicesand unchecked recruitment.
2. Pre-departure counselling for students: Students should receive clear guidance before migration on education quality, costs, and realistic outcomes.
3. Bilateral frameworks for institutional accountability: India needs agreements with destination countries to ensure foreign institutions remain accountable for student welfare and outcomes.
4. Encourage every student to register on the MEA student registration system and use MADAD for support and grievance redressal
5. Verify accreditation and recognition before admission: Make accreditation checks a compulsory step so students do not land in low-quality institutions with weak outcomes.
6. Update counselling regularly because rules on dependants and work hours can change and directly affect survival strategies and finances.

Conclusion

India’s student migration reflects strong aspirations but weak outcomes. Rising numbers conceal deskilling, debt, and reverse remittances that benefit host economies more than families at home. Without better regulation, counselling, and institutional accountability, this trend risks deepening brain waste instead of delivering genuine social mobility or national benefit.

Question for practice:

Discuss the changing nature of India’s student migration and the key concerns, challenges, and impacts associated with it.

Source: The Hindu