How to Obtain a Quality Education in India for Foreigners: A Comprehensive Guide
A Decent Education in India for Foreigners: What You Need To Know
India is an actively developing country and occupies an important position in the world economy. The country needs highly qualified personnel; therefore, the support and development of the educational sphere and training is the most important task of the country’s social policy. Let’s consider the education features in India and the possibilities of admission for international students.
There is no pre-school education system in India. The country has traditionally developed home-based pre-school education. Until the age of four, the child is cared for at home by the mother. If both parents are busy at work, the services of a nanny or relatives are used. Some schools have preparatory groups where you can still send your child if you cannot care for him at home. In such groups, the child spends most of the day and, besides being under constant supervision, goes through a stage of preparation for school and even begins to learn foreign languages (mainly English).
Features of secondary education
Today, every citizen of India is obliged to receive primary and secondary education, regardless of gender and social status. This stage is free of charge. The minimum educational level is ten grades. Here children study from 4 to 14 years of age. The second stage: is the 11 – 12 grades; the stage is preparatory for those students who decide to continue their education at the university and get a specialty.
Even though every citizen of India has the right to get a free complete secondary education, there is a system of private schools in the country where in-depth study of certain subjects can be carried out, and increased attention is paid to foreign languages. All educational institutions use innovative teaching methods, but the quality of education in private schools is much higher than in many countries. The average private school tuition ranges from $100 to $200 monthly, sometimes higher.
This is interesting:
- All secondary schools provide free meals to students;
- India is home to the world’s largest (!) school, with over 32,000 students.
Higher education system
The higher education system in India has a three-tiered structure:
- Bachelor’s degree;
- Master’s degree;
- Doctoral studies.
The duration of education directly depends on the chosen specialty. Thus, the period of study in commerce and arts is three years. To get a specialty in agriculture, medicine, pharmacology or veterinary medicine, it is necessary to study for four years.
Studying at the Bachelor’s level requires a mandatory document of secondary education (12 years). After completing a bachelor’s degree, a graduate can continue studies in a master’s program (2 years) or go to work.
Due to the active development of the country’s economy, the main emphasis in the system of higher education in India is on technical specialties. At the same time, the humanities make up about 40% of the total number. State and private enterprises are interested in obtaining highly qualified specialists. So they take an active part in the development of the educational structure of the country. The most popular specialties of Indian higher education institutions are:
- engineering specialties;
- jewelry making.
Education in public higher education institutions can be free of charge for Indian citizens. Foreign citizens are admitted to state universities on a budgetary basis only if the university provides a grant for training. At the same time, the price in commercial Indian universities is quite low by European standards. The cost of two full semesters in India’s most prestigious higher education institution does not exceed 15 000 dollars a year.
When enrolling on a contract basis, the applicant must provide proof of solvency (for example bank statement). Virtual & distance learning has become widespread in the Indian higher education system. Many universities participate in international scientific programs, sharing their courses in engineering, information technology, and other spheres free of charge. IT specialists, educated in one of the Indian universities are in demand today worldwide. For those looking for an opportunity to get a degree in Indian higher education, https://writemypapers.me/ can serve as a great way out.
Peculiarities of the educational process
Teaching in Indian universities is usually in English. So a sound language base is one of the main requirements for applicants.
Unlike many other countries, where the school year begins in September, Indian pupils and students start their studies in July. Each educational institution appoints the date of the beginning of the educational process independently. That is, the study can begin on July 1 or July 20.
At the end of each semester, students take exams. As for schools, there is no system of ongoing assessment of knowledge. At the end of the school year, pupils take final examinations in oral form or in the form of testing. The most extended vacations in Indian educational institutions are in May and June- the hottest months in the country. It is customary to wear school uniforms in Indian schools. Girls wear long dresses; boys wear shirts or T-shirts and shorts.
Admission to universities in India for foreigners
To enter a higher education institution in India for a bachelor’s degree, one must have a secondary school certificate. A translation of the certificate into English must be made and notarized.
For admission to a Master’s degree, you will need copies of your high school diploma and Bachelor’s degree translated into English and notarized. Another important requirement for admission is a certificate of completion of English language courses. Teaching in many universities is English, so language training is essential for further studies. There is no need to take entrance exams; only some universities use a pre-testing system. If you are worried about the quality of your English, it is advisable to use https://eduboard.com/ for perfect admission essay writing services.
During their studies, international students usually live in dormitories or hotels, which are provided free of charge. If, for some reason, you do not want to use the free accommodation, you can rent an apartment. Renting an apartment will cost between 100 and 300 dollars a month, depending on the city and state of the university.
A big disadvantage for international students is the lack of opportunity to work part-time while studying. Official employment of students during the study period is prohibited by Indian law. If desired, it is possible to find illegal work (today, the shadow labor market in India is more than 80% of the total number of jobs.) However, unofficial employment is strictly punishable by Indian law.
Scholarships and grants
Indian universities are increasingly popular among students from many countries of the world. Even though state universities enroll only applicants with Indian citizenship for budgetary places, today, international students can get higher education in one of the universities in India for free. To do this, you need to apply for a scholarship or grant and get it approved.
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations is responsible for awarding scholarships and grants to study at one of the universities in India, and as a rule, leading federal universities award grants to international students annually. Therefore, if you are interested in studying at a particular university, you should wait until the university allocates a grant for the specialty you are interested in and apply.
In addition, there are several government funding programs under which citizens of CIS countries can get free education in India. One of the most popular is ITEC. The program offers students free education in one of the federal Indian universities in the following fields: banking, public relations, small business, and management.
At the same time, students studying in the ITEC program are regularly paid a stipend of about 100 dollars a month and provided with a free hostel or hotel. A student has the right to study under the ITEC program only once. You need to fill out a particular application form to apply for this program. If your budget is tight and you still want expert help, many low-cost writing services are available online. Working with a cheap writing service can be a great option if time or money is an issue.
Another real opportunity to study in an Indian university is internship and exchange programs, in which Indian universities are active.
Job prospects after studying
Regarding employment, one should face the truth: it is practically impossible for a graduate without Indian citizenship to get a vacant position. Today, about 500 specialists with higher education and excellent command of English and Hindi apply for one vacant position in a large company. An international student who hardly knows Hindi and, in most cases, studies in English is unlikely to be able to compete with the locals.
The only chance to stay after studying in India, get a job and a residence permit is to prove yourself while studying. Indian manufacturing and other companies actively cooperate with universities and place bets on exceptionally talented students from other countries.