New Delhi:As many as 25,58,925 Indian nationals went abroad for studies during the last five years, the government said in Lok Sabha on Friday.
Among them, 5,18,015 left the country for greener pastures in 2018, 5,86,337 in 2019, 2,59,655 in 2020, 4,44,553 in 2021 and 7,50,365 in 2022, Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan said. He was replying to a question from a couple of MPs, who enquired about the number of students from each state pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate medical education abroad during the last five years.
The Minister in his reply provided the data for a number of students studying abroad though he couldn't provide data of Indian students enrolled in specific courses, including Medical courses. "The safety and well-being of Indians abroad, including students, is the top priority of the Government of India. Our Missions and Posts remain vigilant and closely monitor the well-being of Indians abroad. In case any such untoward incident happens then it is immediately taken up by our Missions/Posts with the concerned authorities of the host country to ensure proper investigation and imparting justice in such cases. Indian Missions/Posts are in constant engagement with the Indian community including students and interact with them about the measures for the safety of the Indian community", the MoS said while replying to a question on the steps taken by the Government to ensure the safety of students studying abroad.
More than 20,000 Indian students studying medicine in Ukraine became victims of war when the Russian Federation waged war on Ukraine. In the middle of the war, the Modi government was successful in causing a ceasefire to bring back students. Under 'Operation Ganga', 22,500 Indian students were airlifted from Ukraine. Students, who were mostly studying medicine, were evacuated while one Indian student lost his life in the war.
