Indian students are exploring news educational hubs like Singapore and Norway as per a latest survey
The Indian students’ ‘study abroad’ list has undergone a significant change. It is no longer The States or The United Kingdom that they look forward to. Rather, it is the hitherto ‘not sought after’ parts of Europe and Asia that are being chased.
According to a recent study by ASSOCHAM, the new ‘red hot destinations’ that have emerged in the arena are Singapore, Germany, Norway, Malaysia, France and China. An increasing number of students have been opting for these destinations for higher studies instead of the conventional choices in US and UK.
With the fallen status of the rupee, a major reason that has been cited for this shift is the exceptionally high fees. The living expenses only add to the cost. Without huge scholarships, education in these two countries for Indian students is a near impossibility. “Apart from the fees, the global exposure, cultural experiences, internship and placement opportunities are among the major reasons that have resulted in a significant rise of 15-20 per cent students travelling abroad to new destinations for higher studies,” reveals the ASSOCHAM paper.
Among the other reasons were tightening of visa rules in the UK and the US — nations experiencing a slowdown. “Other countries like Sweden, Denmark, Italy, and Ireland are also in Indian students’ consideration list. The study observes that Indian students are looking at countries where education is considerably cheaper and part-time jobs are easier to secure,” says the study.
For instance, the rich architectural heritage of Italy and France are the most preferred locations for pursuing courses in design and fashion. For hospitality and management, Switzerland and Australia ranks high on the list.
More than 85,000 Indians went abroad in 2005 and the count shot up to 2,90,000 in 2013. The reason is these places offer better opportunities and lifestyle.
“There are several push factors behind the exodus of Indian students to foreign countries. The availability of scholarships, possibilities of a good saving and high employment opportunities after the completion of the course, makes them migrate to foreign countries for higher education,” says DS Rawat, secretary general of ASSOCHAM.
One of the important reasons is lack of good institutions in India and growing competition for limited seats amongst the existing ones. “This trend can be upturned by opening up a series of quality institutions with public private partnership by deregulating the higher education completely,” he adds.
The study revealed that this migration costs India a foreign exchange outflow of 15 to 20 billion dollar per annum, which is enough to build 30 IIMs or 50 IITs per year in India.
“Also, the reservation policy reduces the availability of seats to general category students, thereby weakening the prospects of a majority of students. Such stringent and often unrealistic requirements put students through extreme levels of pressure and lower their chances of attaining quality education,” reveals the study.