April, 2024
As the world’s most populous country with rapidly increasing economic and social wealth, India has established itself as the global leader in providing international students. It is now competing with China to become the major source of international students worldwide. India’s outmigration in search of education hit new records with over 765.000 students going to study abroad in 2023, growing from 750.000 in 2022. In 2023, over 1.32 million Indian students were pursuing their higher education abroad (Rajan and Kumar, 2023).
Figure 1. Number of Indian students studying abroad (in thousands)
Source: Statista, 2024.
Among the prominent study destinations, anglophone nations are highly favored by Indian students, with the United States (USA), Canada, the United Kingdom (UK), and Australia emerging as primary choices. A substantial proportion of Indian students, totaling 35.2%, opt for the United States, while Canada attracts over 13.8% of the Indian student population studying abroad. Although the United Kingdom has historically been a preferred destination for Indian students, it now ranks as the third most popular destination for student migration with over 12.4% of Indian students studying there. Australia accommodates around 7.5% of India’s outbound students (Rajan and Kumar, 2023).
Russia has experienced a notable surge in its appeal to Indian students despite the geopolitical tensions, while Germany continues to solidify its position as an attractive option for academic pursuits being the fifth most attractive destination for study. Neighboring Asian states remain among the popular destinations for Indian students with Singapore leading the list, followed by Bangladesh, and the Philippines. China decreased its position, along with Gulf countries. After a significant decline, China hosts only around 10.000 Indian students (The Indian Express, 2023). Whereas the Gulf countries of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman host over 300.000 Indian students, constituting nearly a quarter of the current Indian student body studying abroad. Namely, the UAE hosts around 12.4% of the total Indian students studying abroad, followed by Saudi Arabia with 5%, Qatar with 3.5% and Oman with 3% of Indian students (Rajan and Kumar, 2023).
Top-10 student outmigration destinations from India in 2023
| USA | 190.000 |
| Canada | 185.000 |
| UK | 132.000 |
| Australia | 59.000 |
| Germany | 20.600 |
| Russia | 19.700 |
| Singapore | 17.000 |
| Bangladesh | 17.000 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 14.700 |
| Philippines | 11.200 |
| Kazakhstan | 8.800 |
Source: Rajan & Kumar, 2023.
India is also recognized as a leading source of students for major educational destinations. For example, in the USA, India is the foremost provider of international students, representing 25% of all foreign students, with a total of approximately 268.923 international students. The number of Indian students in the USA is increasing on average by 35% annually (Open Doors, 2023). Similarly, in Canada, Indian students formed the largest group of international students in 2022, with over 41% of the total international student bodies, which is equal to 225.835 students (Scherer, 2024). In the UK, Indian students surpassed Chinese students in 2022, making India the top source country for students, with more than 139.152 students enrolled (Prest, 2024). In Australia, Indian students make up 17% of all international students, the second largest international student group with 96.000 students (Dhawan, 2023). Hence, India has become the foremost exporter of international students globally, having a significant share of the most popular countries for foreign enrollment.
Remarkably, less internationalized Central Asian states are becoming popular study destinations for Indian students due to comparatively affordable education and living costs. Kyrgyzstan has become among the most favored countries for Indian students, with over 17.400 students studying there in 2023 (Embassy of India, Bishkek, 2023). Kazakhstan is another destination in Central Asia where the preference of Indian students is rising, with over 9.500 students already choosing Kazakhstani education (Embassy of India, Astana, 2023). In Uzbekistan, the number of students similarly grows, reaching around 4.000 students, while Tajikistan hosts 1.350 Indian students (Embassy of India, Tashkent, 2024; Embassy of India, Dushanbe, 2023). As seen in Table 1, the number of Indian students in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan is substantial not only nationwide but also globally, with Kyrgyzstan holding the 9th position among the most preferred choices of Indian students’ admission in 2023.
The major difference among the Central Asian contingent is that most of Indian students are pursuing their education in MBBS. According to the Indian education system, MBBS is the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree, which serves as the standard entry-to-practice degree in medicine. In comparison to the anglophone nations, where Indian students in the majority study business, management, or computer science, in Central Asia they came to obtain their medical degrees. The peculiarities of the Indian education system underpin the reason.
In India, it is mandatory to pass the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) – a pre-medical entrance test for admission to undergraduate medical (MBBS), dental (BDS), and some other allied courses. The results of the NEET are considered the Eligibility Certificate that allows one to apply for medical courses in the country and abroad. However, qualifying for the NEET UG requirements does not ensure entrance to medical courses. The reason is rooted in the constraints of Indian medical education. By 2023, there were 106.333 places available for medical courses throughout 695 medical colleges in India. Of these students, 43.915 are in private MBBS colleges and 48.012 are in government colleges (Vedantu, 2024). Yet, in 2023, 2.038.596 applicants submitted documents for NEET UG, as a result of which 1.145.976 received the right to enter medical specialties (National Testing Agency, 2023). It means that 1.145.976 applicants were competing for 106.333 places at Indian medical institutions, which translates to only 9.3% of qualified applicants being able to apply for an Indian medical degree. Despite the increase in seats at Indian medical institutions each year, the number of applicants grows simultaneously, resulting in only around 10% of qualifying candidates being accommodated in India’s medical education system. This means that the limited number of seats in medical colleges, leading to low chances of admission, is the primary reason for the migration of Indian students pursuing a medical degree. This results in very high competitiveness, where only those with very high ranks can secure their places. The high tuition fees at private institutions are another reason why applicants may be unable to study in the country. Collectively, these factors are forcing Indian students to seek education abroad.
In these circumstances, Russia, the Philippines, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and China emerged as the top destinations for Indian medical students (Shankar, 2023). All popular destinations feature English-medium MBBS programs and comparatively low cost of living and tuition fees compared to Western institutions. Ukraine, before the war, was among the most popular destinations for medical studies. The outflow of Indian students from Ukraine led to their transfer to other countries, resulting in approximately 20.000 Indian students being relocated from Ukrainian universities to alternative destinations. Central Asian institutions also benefited from this migration, leading them to transform their institutions to accommodate more medical students.
Year after year, Central Asian institutions are increasingly becoming compatible destinations for Indian medical studies. According to the Indian embassies, Kazakhstan has 11 authorized medical universities, Kyrgyzstan has 12, Uzbekistan has 11, and Tajikistan has one. Their tuition fee varies from 1.500 USD to 6.000 USD. They all provide English-medium programs that adhere to the guidelines of the National Medical Commission (NMC) of India and produce graduates capable of practicing medicine in India. In compliance with the NMC’s guidelines, in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan students’ study in a six-year study program of Continuous Integrated Medical Education (CIME) (Bachelors + Masters +Internship), while Tajikistan teaches for MBBS in 5 years. A sufficient level of study in combination with comfortable living conditions and affordable prices stimulates more lower-middle income students to study in Central Asia.
However, education in Central Asia could be criticized due to the low pass rates in the FMGE Screening Test. The performance of Indian graduates who studied abroad is assessed through the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE), which is mandatory for all students who have obtained their medical education abroad. According to the National Board of Examinations of India’s Medical Sciences report, in 2021, only around 20% of graduates from Central Asia passed the exam. When considering the previous applicants from 2015 to 2018, the percentage is much lower than 20% (Embassy of India, Bishkek, 2023). Even compared with other post-Soviet states such as Georgia, Ukraine, and Russia, the performances of Central Asian graduates are very modest. It means that the FMGE scores, with the exception of a few universities that perform well, indicate a low degree of preparedness. It also means that Indian students in Central Asia, seeking a less competitive environment for pursuing medical degrees, face the challenge of recognition by the Indian medical system.
Given that India is among the youngest and fastest-developing economies globally, the number of students is expected to increase annually. It is evident that the demand for foreign medical degrees will grow exponentially. Central Asian states have the opportunity to adapt to this market accordingly. The outflow of Indian students from Ukraine due to the war showed the existing capabilities of Central Asian universities when all rushed in search of transfers from their Ukrainian universities. It has also highlighted the urgent need to expand the local market for them, but the capacity of institutions that have long focused on domestic rather than international students remain limited.
Besides, the results of the FMGE indicate that if Central Asian states wish to attract more qualified Indian students to practice medicine in India, their institutions need to enhance their programs and curricula to meet global standards. Taking an examples of Ukraine and Georgia, which have similar educational backgrounds, where Indian students perform better in FMGE results, Central Asian medical institutions could also enhance their approaches to better prepare Indian graduates for faster entry into practice.
In addition to the educational approaches, Indian students face challenges related to poor living conditions. Sharing hostels with low living standards, they are prone to household emergencies. Although not applicable to all, with the broadening of faculties for Indian students, living conditions should also be considered.
Overall, the prospects for the growing number of Indian students globally are dramatic. In Central Asia, it is evident in the increasing interest in medical studies in the region. For Central Asian universities, which have comparatively limited experience as internationalized institutions, these students could represent a perfect opportunity to transform their institutions, making them more appealing to students from other countries who seek a Central Asian education. Moreover, following the example of medical faculties, Central Asian universities have every opportunity to attract Indian students for other majors, including popular science degrees.
References:
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Embassy of India, Astana (2023). Information for Indian students studying/willing to study in Kazakhstan. Retrieved from https://www.indembastana.gov.in/page/education-in-kazakhstan/. Accessed on 15.04.2024.
Embassy of India, Bishkek (2023). India-Kyrgyz Republic bilateral relations. Retrieved from https://indembbishkek.gov.in/docs/1693202747India-Kyrgyz%20Bilateral%20Relations.pdf. Accessed on 15.04.2024.
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Note: The views expressed in this blog are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the Institute’s editorial policy.