If English-speaking countries obviously claim the lion's share, the destinations’ list brings out some surprises.
The war in Ukraine has shone the spotlight on the 18,000 Indian students in the country - twice as many as in France, which hosts around 10,000 Indian students. Most of the Indian students in Ukraine have fortunately been repatriated. And in recent days, a petition has even been brought to the Indian Supreme Court to allow them to continue their studies in India.
But what are the flows of the Indian student mobility abroad?
First of all, the classification
United Arab Emirates: 219,000 students
Canada: 216,000 students
United States: 212,000 students
Australia: 92,000 students
Saudi Arabia: 81,000 students
United Kingdom: 55,000 students
Oman: 43,600 students
New Zealand: 30,000 students
China: 23,000 students
Germany: 21,000 students
Ukraine: 18,000 students
Russia: 16,500 students
Philippines: 15,000 students
and 15. France and Kyrgyzstan: 10,000 students
Ranking established according to data from the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accessible here according to a question in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, in July 2021
The first place of the United Arab Emirates, a surprise?
219,000 Indian students in the Middle East, 81,000 in Saudi Arabia but also 43,600 in Oman, there is something to be surprised about, right? However, these considerable figures do not reflect student mobility - even if some universities, in Dubai in particular, attract students from the subcontinent.
In reality, the Indian diaspora has been established in these countries for a long time and these figures therefore correspond to students who stay with their parents. In addition, these States do not offer naturalization policies unlike English-speaking countries where there are also strong communities of Indian origin. Students who are enrolled and raised there therefore still hold Indian nationality.
English speaking countries host 46% of Indian students abroad
The United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom logically take the lion's share in terms of student mobility. These English-speaking countries attract 605,000 Indian students out of the 1.3 million students studying abroad, according to the numbers of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. The use of English, a powerful Indian diaspora and professional opportunities remain the key elements of their attractiveness.
Another unexpected element emerged last year, when Canada dethroned the United States for the first time. Canada welcomed 216,000 students vs 212,000 in the United States. A fine feat for a country almost ten times less populated than its neighbor. The favorable immigration policies deployed by Canada combined with the consequences of the restrictions imposed by former President Trump have played a decisive role in this new situation.
In continental Europe, Germany is the first host country
Europe, with the exception of the UK, remains a minority destination for Indian students, but it is growing in popularity year after year. The destination that stands out clearly is Germany, the 10th host country of Indian students with 21,000 students. It is particularly popular with engineering students for its programs in English and its professional opportunities.
France follows with 10,000 students, and a growth particularly driven by business schools. The objective is to reach 20,000 students in 2025. Further down the rankings, one can find Italy (4600 students), Spain (1500 students) and the Netherlands (1500 students).
Why so many Indian students in Ukraine?
This is also the question covered by many Indian media who discovered the phenomenon a few weeks ago. The explanation: Ukraine attracts many medical and dental students, but also nursing students and, to a lesser extent, future engineers.
Indeed, the selection criteria in medicine are much more flexible in Ukraine than in India. Furthermore, it is possible to have the degree obtained in Ukraine recognized in India by validating an exam (still competitive). In addition, Ukraine offers much more affordable studies than Indian private medical universities - 60% of medical colleges in India are private.
Other countries attracting Indian medical students
Other countries attract young Indians who intend to study medicine, first and foremost China with 23,000 Indian students, but also Russia (16,500 students), the Philippines (15,000 students) and Kyrgyzstan (10 000 students).
Becoming a doctor remains the number one dream of many Indian students, and especially of their parents. The sector suffers from a dire shortage of institutions compared to the aspirations of students and their families, but also compared to the medical situation in India, which has 1 doctor for 1456 inhabitants while the WHO recommends a proportion of 1 for 1000.
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