Publication Details
Abstract
India is one of the world’s largest sources of internationally mobile students, with over 1.3 million Indian students studying abroad (As of 2023) - a number, that has more than doubled in the last decade. This work explores the drivers and deterrents of student migration from India, situating it within broader debates on global mobility, inequality, and shifting paradigms of higher education. While studying abroad is often framed as a pathway to social mobility and global opportunity, Indian students face multiple barriers, including high tuition fees, visa restrictions, xenophobia, and fluctuating geopolitical relations. For instance, visa rejection rates for Indian applicants rose by 36 per cent in 2022 in countries like Canada and the UK, despite increasing demand. This work draws on data from the Ministry of External Affairs, OECD, and recent qualitative studies to understand how class, caste, gender, and regional disparities shape both aspirations and constraints. It also examines the post-pandemic shift towards hybrid learning and how emerging destinations in Eastern Europe and Asia are altering traditional migration patterns. The research argues for a more inclusive, equity-oriented understanding of international student mobility and calls for reforms in both Indian and host country policies to better support underrepresented student population.