Vande Mataram!!. Review on Studying in India Vs. Studying Abroad

My review will be giving my personal opinions. It may picturize state of mind of students, parents or Govt.of India's Education Deptt. thinking from my angle (of course with whatever I watch on T.V.on read in news items). There is no bias on my part as I am Proud Indian. So, I will try to handle both parents' position and students' position alongwith Pros and cons of the decision.

At the last yr.of graduation students get confused for there are two/three options like doing job after graduating if got through campus interviews/applying after completion of graduate studies,second option is going abroad for Higher studies (Yeh. The degree is called like that.. so can't help) or continue studies in India with post graduation,double graduation (doing M.Law, M.Ed, MBA,PGDBM at IIMs, I.A.S.,Ph.Ds and so on ) in India.

Here they will have to decide their path of life with consultation of parents who are ultimately going to get impact by student's decision. Student should ask himself/herself some simple questions like-

1) whether she/he is perfectly physically fit to live away from home?

2) whether he will manage his/her expenses on his/her own or managing finance from parents ?

3) Is he/she is prepared with determination for any adverse situation like loss of luggage, hospitalisation (I pray,nobody should come across such situation).

4)Most important that what degree he/she finally wants to get (Just don't do anything for only reason that friends are doing it as all fingures are not equal).

Once you have taken decision after thinking over it, note following things-

If student is already used to hostel life and knows his/her ability to live away from home then it becomes easy for them to decide going abroad as they and their parents even are mostly prepared physically/mentally for it. Indian parents feel highly honoured if their beloved son/daughter gets admits at good Univ. abroad (Yes, they deserve to be! I don't have any objection) and manage for their beloved child even in most cases by taking loans from Banks ( I have watched Mr.Sinha ex-Finance Minister proudly mentioning statistics about Bank loans utilised for Education purpose) if sufficient scholarships are not offered. Students will have to pay back this amount of loans availed of after completion of their studies by doing jobs. In such case, they opt to serve in $ paying country to get rid of loans in Rupees earlier as for nice exchange rates. I won't advise this option at the age of 21+ and start career with loans which comes to approx.min. Rs.10/15 lacs+ that too for first yr. of degree course. Students won't be enjoying their life properly by thinking day and night about paying back as it's becomes just next to impossible for parents who earn in Rupees throughout their service tenure.

Students getting good amount of scholarships can easily afford taking care of themselves financially and no need to worry on the part of parents during course time. Parents will have to manage only initial expenses around Rs.2/3 lacs. Only thing is that students will have to think over saving for winter/summer expenses. They can get summer jobs on/off campus most often.

Here point is to be noted that those who don't get enough amount of scholarships in terms of fee waivers or R.A.(Research assistantships)/ T.A. (Teachers' Assistantship)/ Fellowships and opt going abroad for Higher studies,will have to bear their expenses by doing whatever job they get on/off campus. Their living expenses includes rent of apartments (mostly shared with two/three as some Univ.s can't accommodate graduate students at campus dormitories), purchases of needed things like bed, closet (for keeping clothes), table/chair /table lamp(for studies at home), grocery items,fresh veg.(non-veg.if they are used to have it daily), mixer which is advisable (mostly he/she will have to cook at home as it's not advisable to eat at canteens paying atleast around 5$ per entry which is like paying here Rs.5 for Samosa/potato-wada which can't be replaced for lunch- which may cost around 15$). So, mixy is needed as Indian receipies include masala gravys. If Microwave can be available from senior students leaving place by paying few $ they will be benefitted to save time to utilise for studies,work or relaxation which is also must.

Though adjusting with new people,their accents,habits,culture, Univ.faculties, campus life and most importantly living responsible independent life, (which Indian parents mostly hesitate to offer to their beloved kids) initially students feel to be in the heaven. I think it’s because of opportunities/freedom they get (some of them misuse the freedom by misinterpreting the concept ) and unpolluted air/water/good food/clean surroundings (which we rarely see in India for whatsoever reason) etc. They start themselves adjusting into it sometimes through struggle physically and mentally. Afterwards it becomes their habit then we can see them comparing life in India and outside India wheresoever they opt to study/serve and finally they decide continuing and want to settle themselves where they do their studies or where they serve. So, studying abroad ends mostly with staying abroad which can be another topic of review ( I expect my NRI MS friends to write on it). It happened with my relative some 30 yrs. back, may be same experience with you...so I know how they adjust/struggle and then decide firmly about their stay. They won't wish to bother their beloved parents who are far away from them for each and every thing they come across. It gives me extreme pains to mention here about our great leader Mahatma Gandhiji who is called the Father of Nation was kicked out of train due to his colour. I just can't imagine his state of mind at that time. Yes, students may get secondary treatment during course of studies or while doing jobs abroad. However, it's experience that they find their own ways of handling situations.

Studying in India can be opted by choosing further course of studies of one's liking after 12th Std. Those not getting admissions at desired college/course and can afford paying huge fees for B.S.degree abroad just appear easy going exam. SAT and TOEFL. One worst thing is still happening about selecting degree course that here 12th Std.( Board exam. in Maharashtra) decides destiny of students. Even brilliant students feel study burden and suffer at National Level exams IIT entrance. There is no Engg.entrance exam yet. If at all Education Deptt. introduces, it may be only convertion into optional type paper from subjective type without increasing quality which CBSC like exams have. Further student may have any illness of his own/ family member affecting his/her studies while in that yr. For this there is no sollution yet. Even bright students are not getting in desired degree course due to such situation. Exam.system is definitely a matter overdue for revising in India. I have seen Ph.D.students who were having just upto 50+ marks in the subject (surely by mistake) at their 12th Std. It was their good decision to opt for B.Sc.degree in same subject though ''No change'' was declared while revising that paper.(Thanks God! They were not declared fail and then ''No change'' in marksheet while revising). Then let us see fee position. My goodness!!! They are ski-high and further every year it becomes court matter,delaying admissions to Engg./Medical colleges. Day by day fees are becoming unaffordable for middle class parents especially for technical education. Education Deptt.,Govt.of India (and Maharashtra Govt.also) should seriously think over it ( before situation becomes worst further).

Friends, read rest in comments part pl.....