Why so many Indian students — especially from Kashmir — go to Iran for higher education
The ongoing Iran–Israel conflict, and the Indian government's efforts to evacuate its citizens — especially medical students — from the region, has once again thrown the spotlight on a recurring question: Why do so many Indian students go abroad to study medicine?
According to the MEA's estimated data of Indian students studying abroad, in 2022, about 2,050 students were enrolled in Iran, mostly for medical studies, at institutions like the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University and Islamic Azad University. A significant number of the students are from Kashmir.
This is not the first time a geopolitical crisis has exposed the scale of India's outbound medical education. In 2022, during the Russia – Ukraine war, the Indian government had to evacuate thousands of medical students under 'Operation Ganga'. Now, as tensions escalate in West Asia, the spotlight returns to the systemic, economic, and cultural factors that continue to drive Indian students to pursue medical degrees overseas.
A growing trend
Despite a significant rise in the number of medical seats in India—from around 51,000 MBBS seats in 2014 to 1.18 lakh in 2024 —tens of thousands of students continue to pursue medical education abroad. The trend is visible in the rising number of candidates appearing for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE), which is mandatory for practicing medicine in India after studying abroad. About 79,000 students appeared for the FMGE in 2024, up from 61,616 in 2023 and just over 52,000 in 2022.
This outward movement is driven by two main factors: competitiveness and cost.
'While the number of MBBS seats have increased in the country, the field continues to remain competitive. Students have to get a very good rank to get into government colleges,' said Dr Pawanindra Lal, former executive director of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences, which conducts the FMGE.
More than 22.7 lakh candidates appeared for NEET-UG in 2024 for just over 1 lakh MBBS seats. Only around half of these seats are in government colleges. The rest are in private institutions, where costs can soar.
'A candidate ranked 50,000 can get admission in a good private college but the fees can run into crores. How many people in the country can afford that? It is just simple economics that pushes students towards pursuing medical education in other countries. They can get the degree at one-tenth the cost in some of the countries,' said Dr Lal.
Why Iran — And why so many Kashmiris?
While affordability draws many Indian students abroad, Iran holds a unique appeal for those from the Kashmir Valley. For them, the choice is shaped not just by economics, but also by cultural and historical ties.
'Kashmir for a very long time has been called Iran-e-Sagheer or Iran Minor,' said Professor Syed Akhtar Hussain, a Persian scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University. 'There is a historical factor—that the topography of Kashmir and the culture of Kashmir are similar to that of Iran. In the old times, they always thought Kashmir was a part of Iran in a way.'
Religious affinity is another driver. 'Because there is a Shia element in Kashmir, and presence of Shia in Iran, that presence makes it more familiar for Kashmiris to associate themselves with… Iran became a country that they wanted to maintain affinity with. Iran is also a Shia country. Iran also feels happy that it has that special space in the heart of Kashmir,' he said.
The relationship has practical benefits as well. Most Kashmiri students pursue medical education in Tehran, while others study Islamic theology in the holy cities of Qom and Mashhad. According to Prof. Hussain, Iran has even created admission pathways tailored for Kashmiri students. 'Iran gives some concessions to Kashmiri students to go and study there. By virtue of being Shia, they get admission very quickly and easily… for Kashmiris in Iran, it's less expensive.'
This is often referred to as the 'pargees quota'.
'Shia students not only go to Iran to study medical sciences, they also study theology in Iran. Since the Islamic governance was formed in 1979, since then Kashmiri students have been going to Iran to study,' he added.
Beyond academics, many students describe Iran as a 'second home,' noting the similarities in food, culture, climate, and community warmth. 'Students feel very homely while studying there. The cuisine, everything is almost the same, and students feel like they are in Kashmir. Because the regime is Shia, the Iranians also have a soft corner for Kashmiris,' said Prof. Hussain.
He traced this deep-rooted connection back to the 13th century: 'One person named Meer Sayyed Ahmed Ali Hamadani from Iran came to Kashmir. He brought about 200 Syeds along with him, and those people brought crafts and industry from Iran to Kashmir. They brought carpet, papier-mâché, dry fruits and saffron too. Historically, this is the link. Kashmir and Central Asia's biggest link is Hamadani.'
What are the risks?
Though admission is relatively easier and cheaper abroad, experts warn of important caveats.
'There are not a lot of eligibility requirements. If the student can pay, they usually get admission. Some universities run two batches for each year to accommodate more students,' said Dr Lal. However, he warned that some foreign universities operate two tiers of medical education: one designed to produce local doctors, and another primarily to award degrees to foreigners.
'In fact, after completing some of the courses meant for foreigners, the students may not be eligible to practice in the host country. This means they are running two different medical courses,' he said.
To address this, India's National Medical Commission (NMC) has introduced a rule stating that students will be eligible to practice in India only if they are also eligible to practice in the country where they studied. The NMC also mandates that the medical course be 54 months long, completed at a single university, followed by a one-year internship at the same institution.
Dr Lal also flagged the lack of transparent information: 'There are no foreign colleges or universities listed by the country's medical education regulator that people can trust… The regulator should either provide a list of approved colleges or select, say, the top 100 colleges from a given country.'
What happens when they return?
Even after securing their degree, foreign-trained doctors face several hurdles in India. Students from the Philippines, for instance, faced recognition issues because their courses were only 48 months long, short of the required 54.
A major bottleneck is the FMGE, which all foreign-trained doctors must clear. The pass rate has historically been low: 25.8% in 2024, 16.65% in 2023, and 23.35% in 2022.
'Even afterwards, they face challenges in getting employed. This is because their training is not as robust. There have been cases where the students did not have a single stamp on their passport. Sometimes there is a lack of patients and practical training. The FMGE questions are simple, meant to test the students' practical knowledge. And, yet, many are unable to pass the examination even after several attempts,' said Dr Lal.
Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the problems with pervasive infectious conditions. She reported on the government's management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme.
Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports.
Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country's space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan.
She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University's Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor's Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times.
When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More
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