Over 6Lakh Students Pursue Higher Edu'n In Abroad

Pursuing Higher Education in Abroad has always been an increasing factor in India. An industry study says, Today, it is over six lakh Indian students going abroad for their higher education owing to capacity constraints in quality educational institutions which cost the country foreign exchange equivalent to Rs. 95,000 crore on annual basis.

Assocham in a study said that most of the students go abroad as they do not get seat in quality institutions within the country. India, has a very huge capacity constraint when it comes to quality higher education. The answer lies in establishment of high standard quality institutions which could be set up on a public-private-partnership (PPP) model.

The secretary General of Assocham D.S.Rawat said "Higher education in India is subsidized in the government sector. An IIT student pays an average USD 150 fee per month, while students opting for education in institutions in Australia and the US shell out USD 1,500-4,000 fess per month."

In-fact, the study suggests that a good quality foreign universities should be encouraged in India, especially in tier-II cities like Agra, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Lucknow and Nagpur. Further, Rawath said, setting up for more higher education institutions in the country will also generate jobs. "This will create 30-40 million additional jobs in the field of education alone", he said.

The study said with an increasing competition and cut-offs in some universities going as high as 100%, lakhs of students are left with not much alternative but to search for learning abroad. It said "Therefore, more quality educational institutions should be set up in India on he lines of IIT and IIM in order to restrict the outgoing students".