In the last four months (Shrawan-Kartik), foreign exchange equivalent to Rs 48.25 billion has been spent on foreign studies. According to the data of the Nepal Rastra Bank, the amount spent on foreign studies has increased by about 28 percent compared to the same period of the last fiscal year. In the first four months of the last fiscal year, Rs 37.76 billion was spent under this heading.

According to the data of the Nepal Rastra Bank, the foreign currency leaving Nepal for foreign studies has been increasing continuously in recent years. Experts say that since studying abroad provides work and good income, the trend of going abroad for higher education has increased in recent years. They say that this has also had a positive impact on the remittance inflow.

Although many students from Nepal go abroad for foreign studies, students from abroad also come to Nepal for studies. Accordingly, in the last four months, foreign students have brought in foreign currency worth 1.2 billion rupees to study in Nepal.

When the amount leaving Nepal for studies is subtracted from the amount entering Nepal through foreign students, it is seen that a net amount of 47.23 billion rupees has left Nepal. Last fiscal year, such amount was 35.97 billion rupees. 

Government reports have shown that the number of youth leaving Nepal in the name of studies is increasing day by day due to the long-standing political instability in Nepal, the inability of the state to effectively work for economic development, and the lack of creation of new employment opportunities. This is confirmed by government data showing that the amount of money leaving Nepal for study abroad has been increasing continuously since the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the fiscal year 2081/82, Rs 138.48 billion was transferred out of the country for study. This amount has been increasing in each subsequent year. Accordingly, in the fiscal year 2080/81 alone, Rs 125.13 billion was transferred out of the country for study. According to the data of the National Bank, Rs 142 billion was transferred out for study abroad in the fiscal year 2079/80, Rs 67.7 billion in 2078/79, Rs 46.32 billion in 2075/76, and Rs 25.81 billion in 2076/77.

According to the data of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, 32,610 students have obtained permission (No Objection Letter – NOC) for foreign study from last Shrawan to 24 Kartik. The number of students who have obtained permission to study abroad has increased in the same period of the current fiscal year compared to the four months of the previous fiscal year. 

The number of students seeking permission to study abroad has increased by almost three times in the last decade, according to the ministry. In the fiscal year 2071/72, 30,797 students sought permission to study abroad. Families also send money for older students for a few years. That is why the amount of money spent for study has increased in each subsequent year compared to the previous year.

Students from abroad also come to Nepal to study. Foreign students come to Nepal to study in subjects such as medicine, engineering, literature, culture, etc. However, the money they spend here is income for Nepal. In the last four months, Nepal has earned foreign exchange equivalent to Rs 1.2 billion from foreign students. In the same period of the last fiscal year, such amount was Rs 1.79 billion. 

There are two types of opinions on whether it is right or wrong to spend a large amount of foreign exchange every year for foreign study. One group says that there is no need to worry about spending a lot of money on studying abroad. According to them, students who study abroad do not just take money from Nepal, they gain knowledge, learn skills, earn money and give Nepal its identity in the international world. If the situation in their country improves in the future, they will return to Nepal after seeing sufficient opportunities. Therefore, those who study abroad now do not need to worry about taking a lot of money abroad.

Another group says that young people are forced to leave Nepal because there are no opportunities in Nepal and emphasizes that the government should bring a special program to stop them from staying at home. It is time to worry about why so many students go abroad to study. They say that the state should also think about where the weaknesses of Nepal's education system, curriculum, and so on.

However, the government has no plans to return students who have gone abroad to Nepal and create an environment for those who are in Nepal to live in their own country. However, as suggested by the Nepal Rastra Bank, the government has banned affiliation with foreign educational institutions in recent years.

However, National Planning Commission Vice-Chairman Prakash Kumar Shrestha says that the state is committed to educational reform in the country. Accordingly, the 16th Five-Year Plan mentions issuing necessary policies, laws, guidelines, procedures and standards for educational reform, he said. ‘There is a plan to gradually increase the proportion of students studying in technical streams rather than general studies in schools,’ he said, ‘The state has a policy to make Nepal’s education system quality, productive and employment-oriented to increase educational achievement at all levels and reduce the growing trend of going abroad for higher education.’