The number of students seeking no-objection certificates from the Ministry of Education and Sports to study abroad has been going up every year. The ministry has already issued over 21,000 such letters this year, while the number was just 12,423 last year, according to under-secretary at the ministry Dan Bahadur Adhikari.

The number of students seeking NOCs for studying abroad on self-finance scheme was only 1,744 in 2003.The ground floor corridor and the courtyard of the ministry is nowadays crowded with students seeking NOC. Adhikari says ministry officials issue at least 150 certificates every day in August. “Once we get the NOC, we can proceed for visa application,” said Birendra Pahari, who was awaiting his turn for receiving the letter at the ministry.
Birendra and his cousin, Ramesh, who have finished Grade XII in hotel management, say they intend to pursue an advanced diploma in hotel and hospitality management in Australia.
“When we return, the exposure and learning will help us take our family business forward in Pokhara,” said Birendra.

Social scientists are not alarmed at the increasing exodus of students. “It is a process of integration with the large labour market,” said anthropologist Suresh Dhakal. “This is a natural phenomenon and we cannot ignore it.” Many said they were planning to go abroad to acquire quality education and to explore the world. “Political turmoil, frequent strikes and shortage of essentials are some of the factors forcing youths to look for greener pastures,” said Pallavi Shrestha, a management student who intends to pursue MBA degree in the US. Most such students say they intend to return once there is political stability.

According to officials, the ministry receives applications from students for studying more than 1,000 subjects, some of them quite weird and unheard of. Most sought after courses are hospitality and hotel management, accountancy, business administration, nursing, ICT, tourism and mass communication. Students say mostly they are guided by friends and relatives to choose a course but some do use their personal judgment. The potential to land a job after completing the course also determines what to study abroad. Officials said over 90 per cent of the students who get NOC also secure visas.