India's Student Cities

Unsure of which city has the most to offer you in your college years? Aparna Sundaresan rounds up some student favourites and analyses their student-friendliness

Delhi

 

 

 

 

 

Home to: St. Stephen’s College, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Milia Islamia University
Vibe: Relaxed but not lazy. Well-developed with wide open spaces and clean roads in the main city. Progressive due to its rich art, literature and culture scene.
People: Loud and outspoken which may be perceived as rude. Taxi and auto drivers tend to get aggressive. People in general can be friendly when approached politely. The young are status and brand conscious.
Entertainment: Delhi’s markets are great for shopping, eating and even for cinemas. Plenty of art galleries, theatres and culture-specific restaurants like Japanese, Italian, Korean, etc. There are numerous pubs, bars and clubs that remain open until 1 am (some even longer). Many allow couples only so that women can feel comfortable.
Cost of living: Cheaper than Mumbai in rent prices, but costlier in public transport. Advisable to travel by the metro train. Delhi buses are carelessly driven and have been in several accidents. Restaurants can be very expensive; street- side stalls and eateries are cheap and satisfying.
Safety: Notorious for crimes against women. Rape, improper touching, groping and lewd comments are aimed at women in public in daylight; women prefer travelling in private vehicles and staying indoors past sunset.
Student opinion: “Delhi is beautifully planned with lots of open spaces and parks, yet has preserved its ancient heritage. It is interesting to see an amalgamation of people from all over the world here. However, the distances are mind boggling and the safety factor is a big concern, especially for women. And there are many hot spots like Karim’s near Jama Masjid, Dilli Haat for cuisines from all Indian states and Connaught Place for shopping and great eateries like Wengers and Keventers.”
–Varuna Shunglu, LLB student, Delhi University
Overall grade: B+

Delhi’s markets are great for shopping, eating and even for cinemas

Ahmedabad

 

 

Home to: IIM, Mudra Institute of Communications Ahmedabad (MICA), National Institute of Design (NID)
Vibe: Leading mega city. Quiet with wide roads. Developed infrastructure. Hot and dry climate.
People: Friendly, hospitable people. Food-lovers who love to eat and love to serve Gujarati food.
Entertainment: Restaurants, eateries and food stalls are almost everywhere. Most of the cuisine is vegetarian. Nightlife is almost non-existent. Alcohol is prohibited in Gujarat, so all drinking is done in private. The kite market is worth a visit, especially in January, for its display of colourful, handmade kites. The city’s drive-in theatre is a huge draw. Malls are coming up in a big way.
Cost of living: Comparable to Tier 1 metros in most aspects. Public transport is expensive, so most people own 2-wheelers. Autorickshaws don’t have metres, so cheating is rampant. Local food is quite cheap, especially at road-side stalls. Rent rates are low.
Student opinion: “The best thing about Ahmedabad is that eating out can be extremely cheap. However, the city shuts down by 10. If your campus is far away from the main city then rickshaws become a huge expense. The best entertainment spots in the city are Law Garden for street shopping and chaat, Alpha One mall, Buttercup and Souq, Bhatiyar Gali, Manek Chowk and the nearby not-so-dry zones of Diu and Udaipur.” –Reshma Harikumar, PGDM-C student, MICA
Overall grade: A

Ahmedabad’s kite market is known for its display of colourful, handmade kites

Mumbai

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home to: St. Xavier’s College, S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, Tata Institute of Social Sciences
Vibe: Insomniac city, throbbing with life at all times. Entrepreneurial, cosmopolitan and progressive, but has no campus life as most colleges are just a building.
People: Mind their own business, which may be perceived as arrogance, but are actually friendly. Hindi is spoken by all, but police officers, government officials, etc. may not respond until spoken to in Marathi.
Entertainment: The suburbs house theatres, malls, cinemas and activity spots for mini golfing, rock climbing, etc. Restaurants are plenty, from luxury to budget eateries, but the street stalls are the best for chaat and foods like pav
bhaji and vada pav. Pubs, bars and nightclubs are many, but most shut by 1:30 am. Mumbai’s beaches are also pitiful.
Cost of living: High, but cheaper than Bangalore. Rent can be exorbitant. Paying guest and rent share flats are more popular options. Buses are cheap and well-connected. The local trains are even cheaper and form the city’s lifeline. Autos and taxis are expensive in spite of being metred. Street stalls are cheap and serve good food. Restaurants tend to be costly, as do cinemas – especially multiplexes.
Student opinion: “I love Mumbai’s people. They are so helpful! When I had just arrived in the city, some friends and I got out on the wrong side of a station, after-hours. A couple delivered us safely to a taxi cab. I find the city’s vast distances most cumbersome. That one needs to schedule an extra hour or two just for travel really irks me. Although there are many places in Mumbai I love, my favourite is Pheonix Mills! They have everything I love: a shopping haven and good food!” – Nishtha Khetani, BMM student, Jai Hind College
Overall grade: B+

Mumbai’s street stalls are the real champion of the city’s food business

Pune

 

 

 

 

 

Home to: Symbiosis International University, Fergusson College, Maharasthra Institute of Technology (MIT)
Vibe: Youthful, dynamic and vibrant due to its large student and young, working population. Maharashtra’s cultural capital. However, traffic is indisciplined and driving is a nightmare.
People: Mild-mannered and reasonably friendly. May come across frosty at times. Cosmopolitan population, so Hindi is understood by all.
Entertainment: Plenty of museums. Nature-based attractions are several: caves, water parks, trekking routes, bird-watching sites, etc. Lots of budget restaurants. Numerous cafes, pubs, bars and nightclubs. Weekend getaway towns of Khandala and Lonavala are nearby. Pune has become the choice of venue for music festivals and touring international bands.
Cost of living: Cheaper than its neighbouring city, Mumbai, but public transport is only marginally cheaper and the bus network is poor; has a large volume of 2-wheelers. Rent is slightly higher than other cities listed here, but manageable if shared.
Student opinion: “Amazing climate, a predominant youth population and the overall vibe of Pune is quite positive for students. A number of restaurants/hang out places are open post-midnight which makes it very convenient. But public transport is pretty substandard making it mandatory to own a vehicle and that’s not impressive with the high fuel prices. One can also expect rickshaw drivers to boss around often. ” –Ernold Thompson, BE Mechanical Engineering student, MIT
Overall grade: A

Pune has become the choice of venue for music festivals and touring international bands

Bangalore

 

Home to: Christ College, Presidency College, Indian Institute of Science (IISc)
Vibe: Cosmopolitan and progressive. Has a moderate climate which makes for pleasant days most of the year. Silicon Valley of India. Unfortunately, has terrible traffic which might improve after the metro is complete.
People: Friendly most of the times and converse in Hindi and English (at times even Marathi and Tamil). Auto drivers can be rough. Some areas are staunchly Kannada, so people there will not speak any other language.
Entertainment: Shopping malls are commonplace with the usual options of movies, international restaurants and mid-range to luxury shopping. Once the Pub City of India, Bangalore still has several excellent pubs, bars and clubs, but are forced to shut by 11:30 pm due to police action. Bangalore’s parks are famous, notably Brindavan Gardens and Lalbagh. Bangalore is also the choice of destination for international music acts and touring bands.
Cost of living: High. Rent prices have increased because of influx of migrants. As per RBI’s Consumer Price Index, Bangalore is the costliest Indian city to live in. Grocery prices are high (a litre of milk can cost as much as Rs. 30), as are local bus fares (as much as Rs. 20 for one way). Auto drivers are known to fleece passengers in spite of metres.
Student opinion: “I like Bangalore’s climate and its girls! Unfortunately, traffic is heavy and it takes a while to reach a place. Head to Garuda Mall, the pubs at Brigade Road, and MG Road for good food. Barbeque Nation, Mainland China, California Pizza and Jimmy’s are some other great restaurants.” –Sriram Iyer, BE Computer Science student, CMRIT College of Engineering
Overall grade: B+

 

HYDERABAD

 

 

 

 

 

Home to: Indian School of Business (ISB), BITS Hyderabad, English and Foreign Languages University
Vibe: Meeting point of north and south India. Culturally rich and growing IT hub. However, plagued by heavy pollution and disorganised civic facilities.
People: Due to influx of young people, attitudes are turning progressive, but the old city is still conservative. People are generally laidback and indifferent to deadlines.
Entertainment: Architectural and historical attractions plenty: Char Minar, Golconda Fort, Salar Jung museum, etc. Home to Ramoji Film City, a whimsical film-meets-fantasy theme park. Cuisines in restaurants are limited. Few pubs and bars but they stop serving drinks by 11 pm.
Cost of living: Comparatively lower than Tier 1 cities. While college fees may be higher, groceries and entertainment costs are lower. Rent prices are reasonable. Beware of auto rickshaw drivers; though the fare is metred, they might ignore the reading.
Student opinion: “Hyderabad is quite a student-friendly city, but has limited options for street shopping. Students hang out in their college canteen or campus, or at a pani puri bandi or chaat place. My friends and I go to Lamakaan, a trust house with a canteen that holds plays, music nights and charity events in its courtyard.”
–Neha Pandit, BCom student, St. Mary’s College
Overall grade: B

Hyderbad’s Ramoji Film City, a whimsical film-meets-fantasy theme park, is the only of its kind in India

 

 

Volume 2 Issue 7