2,61,406 Indians went abroad for studies last year as compared to 5,88,931 in 2019: Govt

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has facilitated international travel of people, including those returning to their country of work or residence abroad, taking the total number of people facilitated under the Vande Bharat flights to 67.9 lakh.

Data released by the government has shown that as many as 2,61,406 Indians went abroad for studies last year as compared to 5,88,931 in 2019. In a written response to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said that according to data provided by the Bureau of Immigration, 3,71,506 people went abroad for studies in 2016; 4,56,823 in 2017; 5,20,342 in 2018; 5,88,931 in 2019; and 2,61,406 in 2020.
Citing the data provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Muraleedharan also informed the House that 1,37,26,945 Indians have travelled overseas in the last five years (January 1, 2016, to March 18, 2021), on an employment visa.

He also informed that as on March 22, around 52 lakh people have been repatriated to India under the Vande Bharat Mission. In addition, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has facilitated international travel of people, including those returning to their country of work or residence abroad, taking the total number of people facilitated under the Vande Bharat flights to 67.9 lakh, he said.

The mission was launched last year to evacuate people stranded abroad due to the coronavirus pandemic. The number of students going abroad last year has shown a significant fall due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 and the lockdown imposed to contain it in several countries. In India, all schools, colleges and educational institutions were also shut down and the whole academic year was shifted to online mode to avoid any academic loss of the students. 

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