2023-12-20 11:47:08
An increasing number of students from Kerala are going abroad for higher studies and eventually settling there. There are many reasons why the new generation is leaving Kerala and settling in foreign countries. A recent study found that neither grades nor financial status are barriers to higher education abroad.
“Many see studying abroad as an easy way to make a permanent tamasah. Fewer people get admission in foreign universities for quality education. “There has been a significant increase in the number of girls getting foreign education from the state,” said Cyril Sebastian, who conducted the study as part of the Center for Public Policy Research’s (CPPR) Youth Leadership Fellowship.
Availability of education loans and support provided by travel agencies to facilitate migration should be taken into consideration, he said. 60% of the students who responded to the study were from families with an annual income of less than Rs 5 lakh. Marks are also no barrier to migration. The study found that 38% of the students who migrated to different countries scored less than 75% marks.
Most of the students migrate to countries like UK, Canada, Germany, US and Australia.
“If someone in the neighborhood or peer group goes abroad, it becomes a chain action. Information regarding cost and available courses is shared among peer groups. Bank loans are available and people use them because the middle class can repay the loan in installments. “Education abroad has become an easy route to permanent residence in developed countries,” says Benoy Peter, co-founder and executive director of the Center for Migration and Inclusive Development (CMID), which works for the welfare of migrant workers.
32% girls
According to the Kerala Migration Survey 2018, the participation of women in foreign migration was 15.8%. In the latest survey, 32% of the total respondents were female students. A travel agency in Kochi has facilitated visas for 7,236 students going to Canada in July 2023. 45% of them were female students. The study shows that there has been a huge jump in the number of women getting education abroad from Kerala.
Diversity in student migration
Students seek admission in foreign universities for various courses. These range from those seeking secure employment to those opting for short-term courses to qualify for permanent residency. 59% of the study participants were between 23 and 25 years of age. Majority of those who get admission in foreign universities are from Madhya Kerala.
According to figures submitted by the Ministry of Education to Parliament in February this year, there has been a 68% increase in the number of students going abroad. While 4,44,553 went abroad for higher studies in 2021, it increased to 7,50,365 in 2022.
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