The craze for pursuing education in foreign countries is cntinuously increasing in India. But, the fact needs to be acknowledged that there are several drawbacks related to it. It is necessary for students to carefully consider both the positive and negative aspects before taking a call. Here, hasty decisions are best avoided.
But, the crucial point has to be noted that, while speaking of foreign education, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages in most cases. This article will elaborate on these shortcomings.
- Firstly, it must be highlighted that the cost of foreign education is way higher than that seen in India. Even when the same degrees or diplomas are seen, the courses in Indian universities have a fee structure well within the reach of students. That is not so in foreign institutions.
- The exorbitant fees at foreign universities are just a small part of the bigger problem. In overseas education, things like accommodation, food, and other important expenses enormously increase the burden on the students and their families.
- Several surveys have estimated that, when it comes to educating their children in foreign countries, Indian parents spend more than fifty percent of their savings. As a result, they do not have sufficient resources to take care of themselves in their old age when the medical expenses are typically higher.
- Here, the problem is much bigger than not having sufficient savings in the twilight years of life. Many parents borrow huge sums of money from financial institutions to fund the overseas education of their sons or daughters. And in many instances, this aspect of loan repayment continues to be a huge burden for the rest of their lives.
- Another crucial point regarding foreign education is worthy of special mention. It has been observed that just around 4% of students manage to secure admission to leading universities. And roughly half of the students get enrolled in institutions that can be categorized as “substandard.” There is a strong likelihood that the degrees or diplomas from these substandard colleges are not recognized in many countries.
- There is one more major drawback that has to be taken into account. It is seen in many overseas universities that the fee charged by Indian aspirants is abnormally higher than what the native students pay. In fact, in a few countries, this high fee is used to provide subsidized education for indigenous people. This creates a disparity.
- The over-fascination with foreign education is creating another kind of issue for most students. They end up with diplomas or degrees that don’t have any value. These educational qualifications are not of much help to students in building a career.
- Students who have grown up in conservative families face the risk of a serious “culture shock” when they reach foreign countries for higher education. There could be a complete mismatch between the culture that students have seen in their community and that of the concerned foreign country. This aspect could hinder students from remaining focused on their academic endeavors.
- It is rather disturbing to see that, even now, there are a few countries where racism has not yet disappeared. Students from India and other Asian regions can be discriminated against on racial grounds in these zones. This again gravely impedes the academic progress of aspirants.