India’s outbound student numbers have grown sharply, rising from 6.8 lakh in 2016 to 13.35 lakh in 2024, even with the temporary slowdown during the pandemic. A state-wise breakdown by NITI Aayog highlights clear regional patterns, preferences, and socio-economic drivers behind students choosing to study abroad.
The most popular destinations continue to be the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia, with the UK and Canada seeing especially strong growth in Indian enrolments in recent years. On the domestic front, states like Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, and Maharashtra consistently lead in sending students overseas.
Data from the Ministry of External Affairs shows that in 2020, Andhra Pradesh recorded the highest number of students going abroad for higher education. Here’s how the top states ranked that year:
- Andhra Pradesh – 35,614
- Punjab – 33,412
- Maharashtra – 29,079
- Gujarat – 23,156
- Delhi – 18,482
- Tamil Nadu – 15,564
- Kerala – 15,277
- Chandigarh – 13,988
- Karnataka – 13,699
- Uttar Pradesh – 8,618
Looking at trends over time, Andhra Pradesh has remained a consistent leader, topping the list in 2016, 2018, and 2020. However, numbers dipped significantly in 2020, likely due to pandemic-related disruptions. The state had 46,818 students going abroad in 2016, which increased to 62,771 in 2018 before falling in 2020.
Punjab climbed from third place in 2016 to second in 2018 and held that position through 2020. Meanwhile, Maharashtra, which was the second-largest contributor in 2016, dropped to third place in later years. Its numbers declined from 45,560 in 2016 to 29,079 in 2020, reflecting a noticeable slowdown.
Overall, research by NITI Aayog shows that between 2016 and 2022, India’s student mobility trend has become increasingly outward-focused, with far more students going abroad than coming into the country for education.
