15% drop in Indians studying abroad: Canada down 41%, Russia sees 34% rise
New Delhi: The number of Indian students going abroad for higher education dropped by nearly 15 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to government data presented in Parliament.
In 2024, 7,59,064 Indian students pursued education abroad, down from 8,92,989 in 2023, and 7,50,365 in 2022, said Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar while responding to a question by Lok Sabha member and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader E. T. Mohammed Basheer.
Canada saw the largest drop, with the number of Indian students falling by 41 percent. The count dropped from 2,33,532 in 2023 to 1,37,608 in 2024. Canada’s decision to tighten student visa regulations last year has had a massive impact on Indian students, leading to increased visa rejection rates, stricter application scrutiny, and the potential cancellation of study permits.
Other popular study destinations also saw a decrease in Indian student numbers. The United States (US) saw a nearly 13 percent drop, from 2,34,473 in 2023 to 2,04,058 in 2024. The UK saw a nearly 28 percent fall, from 1,36,921 to 98,890 while Australia experienced a 12 percent decrease, from 78,093 to 68,572 students.
On the other hand, Russia experienced a 34 percent increase in Indian students, with more students choosing it as a destination for their studies. France, Germany, and New Zealand also saw an uptick in Indian student numbers.
Meanwhile, Basheer also asked the government if it was aware of agencies misleading Indian students with false promises of education and part-time jobs abroad, and inquired about welfare schemes and support for students overseas.
In its response, the Ministry of Education stated that studies abroad are a matter of individual will and choice, noting that the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) has been set up by Government of India in all Indian Missions and Posts abroad to meet the contingency expenditure incurred by Indian citizens including Indian students studying abroad.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
