Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Dec 4: Over 18.82 lakh Indian students are currently studying in 153 countries worldwide, with the largest concentrations in Canada (4.27 lakh), the US (2.55 lakh), the UAE (2.53 lakh), Australia (1.96 lakh), and the UK (1.73 lakh), the Parliament was informed on Thursday.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, noted that Indian students are not only in major education hubs but also in smaller destinations such as Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and Cyprus, which host a significant number of Indian medical aspirants.
The ministry also provided data on student deportations and denied entries over the past five years. The UK deported 170 students, the US deported 45 and denied entry to 62, while Australia deported 114. Other countries reporting deportations include Russia (82), Ukraine (13), Georgia (17), Finland (5), and Egypt (2), with Kyrgyzstan denying entry to 11 students. These actions were mainly due to violations of visa norms, including illegal employment, unpermitted business activities, non-payment of fees, poor attendance, or withdrawal from academic programmes. Some students were denied entry for incomplete admission documents or failure to meet university requirements.
Singh emphasized that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) prioritizes the welfare and safety of Indian students abroad. Missions maintain regular contact with students, conduct university interactions, and issue advisories to prevent enrolment in fraudulent or unaccredited courses. Recent advisories have been issued for countries including Tajikistan, Suriname, Finland, Latvia, Egypt, Canada, China, Malta, Ireland, and Uzbekistan.
The MEA also highlighted support mechanisms such as MADAD portal registration, 24×7 helplines, open houses, email and social media outreach, and the use of the Indian Community Welfare Fund to assist students in distress. Evacuation operations like Operation Ganga (Ukraine), Operation Kaveri (Sudan), Operation Ajay (Israel), Operation Devi Shakti (Afghanistan), and Operation Sindhu (Israel and Iran) were cited as examples of the government’s commitment to student safety during crises abroad.