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Why Indians are obsessed with foreign education?

Every year hundreds of thousands of Indian students apply to top ranking universities across globe and many of them secure admissions in those universities. Universities in the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Europe, and Singapore are top foreign education destinations for most students.  But why we are so obsessed with foreign education?

Historical reasons:

Our colonial masters left with us an important tool to connect with the rest of the world i.e. English Language. Command over this global language makes it easy for Indians to gel into an English speaking society easily and a large chunk of the top ranking universities exists in the English –speaking world. Even in many top ranking universities in the non-English speaking world, the medium of instruction is English. Foreign education was a cherished dream for most Indian students even before our Independence. Most of the revered leaders of our nationalist movement were foreign educated.

Economic reasons:

Improving economic condition in India created a thriving middle class which can afford to send their children into foreign universities. The availability of financial assistance such as low interest educational loans, scholarships and grants made foreign education accessible to even to students who are not financially well off. The promise of a well paid job in the home country makes foreign education even more attractive to most of the students. Employment opportunity in the country of education is also a big plus.

Simpler and easier application processes:

The recent innovations in communications technology has made the application process far easier than it used to be. From sending an online application through attending an interview through video conferencing have made the entire application process so easy that we can now say that admission into a foreign university is just a click away.

Quality of education:

Most of the foreign universities offer high quality education. They offer the most updated curriculum, state of the art facilities, and best minds in the field as faculty. The educational system provides better opportunities for expressing oneself rather just blindly following what is being ‘taught’. The variety and flexibility in the courses offered, emphasis on practical rather than theoretical learning, and opportunity for research all make foreign education an attractive choice for most Indian students who are bored with mundane academic approach to learning.

Exploration and adventure:

the promise of adventure is always there in visiting an exotic place leave alone staying there for a fairly long period of time. Staying in a foreign country provides the students with an opportunity to explore different cultures, life styles, people, and places. Though the experience itself is enriching most students use the opportunity to build their personal and professional networks, which can be pretty useful in a global ‘workplace’

Sociological reasons:

For many students and their parents a foreign degree is a status symbol. Even in the ‘Wedding Market’ (a sad reality) a young man or woman with a foreign degree commands a higher ‘price’.

Every year hundreds of thousands of Indian students apply to top ranking universities across globe and many of them secure admissions in those universities. Universities in the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Europe, and Singapore are top foreign education destinations for most students.  But why we are so obsessed with foreign education?

Historical reasons:

Our colonial masters left with us an important tool to connect with the rest of the world i.e. English Language. Command over this global language makes it easy for Indians to gel into an English speaking society easily and a large chunk of the top ranking universities exists in the English –speaking world. Even in many top ranking universities in the non-English speaking world, the medium of instruction is English. Foreign education was a cherished dream for most Indian students even before our Independence. Most of the revered leaders of our nationalist movement were foreign educated.

Economic reasons:

Improving economic condition in India created a thriving middle class which can afford to send their children into foreign universities. The availability of financial assistance such as low interest educational loans, scholarships and grants made foreign education accessible to even to students who are not financially well off. The promise of a well paid job in the home country makes foreign education even more attractive to most of the students. Employment opportunity in the country of education is also a big plus.

Simpler and easier application processes:

The recent innovations in communications technology has made the application process far easier than it used to be. From sending an online application through attending an interview through video conferencing have made the entire application process so easy that we can now say that admission into a foreign university is just a click away.

Quality of education:

Most of the foreign universities offer high quality education. They offer the most updated curriculum, state of the art facilities, and best minds in the field as faculty. The educational system provides better opportunities for expressing oneself rather just blindly following what is being ‘taught’. The variety and flexibility in the courses offered, emphasis on practical rather than theoretical learning, and opportunity for research all make foreign education an attractive choice for most Indian students who are bored with mundane academic approach to learning.

Exploration and adventure:

the promise of adventure is always there in visiting an exotic place leave alone staying there for a fairly long period of time. Staying in a foreign country provides the students with an opportunity to explore different cultures, life styles, people, and places. Though the experience itself is enriching most students use the opportunity to build their personal and professional networks, which can be pretty useful in a global ‘workplace’

Sociological reasons:

For many students and their parents a foreign degree is a status symbol. Even in the ‘Wedding Market’ (a sad reality) a young man or woman with a foreign degree commands a higher ‘price’.

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