Why does the student brain drain from Nepal never end?

KATHMANDU: For most young Nepalese, the straightforward answer is to go abroad for further studies.

Although there are educational institutions in Nepal affiliated with international universities offering quality education, the number of students choosing to study overseas is increasing daily.

This trend is not only leading to declining enrollments in Nepalese higher education institutions but also causing an entire generation to slowly disappear from Nepali society.

As more students pursue higher education abroad, the amount of money leaving Nepal annually for foreign education has also surged. Many Nepalese students, unable to see promising opportunities at home, seek a brighter future overseas.

This growing trend raises concerns about the pressure on Nepal’s foreign currency reserves and the brain drain of skilled manpower. According to Nepal Rastra Bank, in the first seven months of the current fiscal year (from mid-July to mid-January), students traveling abroad for studies received foreign exchange facilities worth Rs 6.415 billion. In the same period last year, this figure was Rs 6.664 billion.

Nepalese students going abroad for education are provided foreign exchange remittance facilities to pay their tuition fees

Authorities report that both the number of students going abroad and the outflow of foreign currency through this channel have been steadily rising in recent years.

In the first five months of fiscal year 2079/80, students taking foreign exchange for overseas education carried out transactions amounting to Rs 2.88 billion.

In the entire previous fiscal year, Rs 12.513 billion flowed abroad for foreign education—a nearly 25% increase compared to the year before. Over the last two years, such transactions have consistently exceeded NPR 10 billion.

To study abroad, Nepalese students must obtain a ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

The ministry states that on average, 200 to 300 students apply for this certificate daily. Popular destinations among Nepali students include Australia, Japan, the UK, Canada, the USA, South Korea, and India.

From mid-July to early January this year, a total of 50,190 students obtained NOCs, according to Khados Sunuwar, an officer in the ministry’s NOC branch. or comparison, 43,855 students acquired NOCs in the same period last year, and 42,650 two years ago, clearly indicating a rising trend.

Education expert Susan Acharya attributes the growing number of students going abroad to concerns over the quality of Nepalese educational institutions, lack of opportunities after graduation, unemployment, and rising costs. She says, “Due to political instability and other issues, the trend of preparing to study abroad from as early as grade 11 and leaving the country immediately after grade 12 has become common. Also, while students here can’t easily switch faculties or majors once enrolled, abroad they have this flexibility. If Nepalese institutions adopted such flexible policies, many students might be retained.”

To curb this rapid outflow of students, Acharya suggests that the government should implement policies encouraging higher education within Nepal. Problems like politicization of higher education and delayed exam results must be addressed.

The continuous exodus of the youth—who are the backbone of national development, economy, and innovation—creates multifaceted crises and social disruption in Nepal.

The major causes behind this migration are the poor management and quality of educational institutions, political interference, delayed examinations, lack of job placements after graduation, disconnect between universities and the national economy, and outdated curricula. Additionally, diminished youth confidence in the country’s political leadership and future prospects drives this migration.

Narottam Aryal, an education sector professional with two decades of experience, considers the massive brain drain of Nepal’s young productive workforce a grave crisis. He points out that this is rooted in the country’s overall politico-economic system, state leadership, economic conditions, and the failures of various state institutions.

Aryal emphasizes that the educational transformation Nepal needed has not materialized. “We have the certificates, but lack skills and knowledge. Only a small percentage is competent. We issued many certificates, but what is their purpose? They should impart skills, knowledge, solve problems, and enhance employability. Because this is missing, the trend of students going abroad keeps increasing.”

-Nirpa Rawal