People giving up Indian citizenship doubles in this state amid growing trend among youth to settle abroad

NEW DELHI: It is a growing trend among the youth from Kerala to go abroad for higher studies and get settled there. Many say this is happening because Kerala is lacking in top tier facilities. Moving north of the nation, reports claim that number of people surrendering their passports and leaving the country has doubled in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat.

Majority of Gujarati youths go to USA, UK, Canada and Australia to take citizenship. According to reports, most of the fall in the age group of 30-45. A good proportion of passport surrenderers are those who seek better employment opportunities and living standards in foreign countries.

According to available data, in 2022, 241 people gave up their Indian passport, and by 2023, it reached 485. As of early May 2024, 244 surrenders have been recorded. Those who pursue higher education abroad and then settle there do not return to the country.

According to parliamentary data, Gujarat has the third highest number of people who renounced citizenship in India between 2014 and 2022 with 22,300 individuals giving up their Indian citizenship, while the national capital New Delhi saw the highest number of people taking citizenship in another nation at 60,414. Also, 28,117 from Punjab renounced Indian citizenship and took citizenship of other countries.