Kathmandu: At a time when the government is talking about prosperity and youth employment, the number of students applying for higher education in foreign countries has increased significantly.
Nepali students have now reached as many as 72 countries for higher studies, as per the data with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.
According to Scholarship Section of the Ministry, it has provided no objection letters to 62,200 students in this fiscal year alone.
This number is two times more than the number recorded two years back.
In the fiscal year 2072/73 BS, 32,489 students had got no objection letters, which grew to 50,659 in 2073/74 BS.
Section Chief Devi Prasad Upadhyay Poudel said 200 students on average were receiving no objection letter on a daily basis. There are students who go for abroad studies without taking such letters. Thus, the number can be even more.
Australia is the first choice for such students. For Australia alone, 33,000 students have taken no objection letters in this fiscal. Second priority is Japan, while the US the third and China the fourth.
Very few students have applied for no objection letter at the Ministry for the study in Romania, Vietnam, Ukren, and Island. Chief Upadhyay stated that the applicants on producing required documents could get no objection letter within half an hour.
Educational Consultancy Association of Nepal chair Bishnu Hari Pandey has said more students were applying for higher studies abroad but it was unexpected. He, however, said all applicants might not have applied for abroad studies.
Pandey said educational consultancies should provide necessary counseling to the students applying for abroad studies.
