Let’s talk about foreign students in India. As strange as it may sound, there are a ‘good’ number of foreign students who come from all corners of the world to study in India. In spite of fully knowing that they have to choose the ‘impractical and limited-to-theory only’ courses that the Indian education system propounds, they still choose to come here over the ‘highly practical and superior’ courses available at foreign universities (some institutes in India do offer practical and world renowned courses).
As per statistics, India is home to about 40,000 foreign students from over 100 countries. Though the number may seem small in comparison to the number of Indian students going abroad for higher Thestudies, it is quite significant. One wonders what attracts these foreign students. Is it the friendly atmosphere or is there another reason?
Ishvari, a 19-year-old South African student, left Madagascar to study in India in 2009. She first opted for arts, but later switched to commerce. “I wanted an English medium background since the only languages I knew were French, Hindi and Gujarati. Even though I had the option of going to the UK, I felt that India would be the best place for me with regards to comfort with languages,” she explains. Reflecting on her move to India, she says, “When I just reached India, I used to take down notes in French for every lesson that the professor taught. Whenever I look at these books now, I find it amusing that I didn’t even know the meaning of words like ‘big’! But I can finally speak in English fluently.”
“The Indian culture is warm and friendly and people in this country will go out of their way to help you. I am overwhelmed with the fantastic nature of the people. It is precisely this culture that attracted me to India in the first place,” says Silvi Mathews, a US student in India. Adds Oewebu, a student from Nigeria, “The high quality of education at a relatively low fee and an equally low cost of living makes India a great place to study.”
Indian universities offer a variety of courses in medicine, arts, journalism, social work, commerce, architecture, engineering and software, amongst others. This, bundled with diversity of Indian culture, ensures that the studying experience in India is memorable for all who experience it.
Volume 2 Issue 1
