Students flock to British Council education fair in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar (Orissa), May 8 (ANI): Scores of students attended an education fair organised by the British Council here.

Representatives from around 16 British universities were on hand to answer queries of the youths interested in studying in the UK.

"The fact that the British Council has organised this fair and the five other fairs which are going to the second tier cities around India is so important because students need to have the opportunities to meet university representatives face to face," said Mairlad Kelly of York St John University.

"They can ask me questions, and I can tell them honestly. No that is not the course for you or this isn't the university for you, because students need to be informed," he added.

Students said the one-day event would help them get some information about all the universities.

"It will be helpful for the Indian youths because, as I said, it's a good platform for them to get some information about all the universities, so it will help them in the future," said Sukant Sahoo, a student.

The Education UK initiative comes in a bid to attract Indian students to pursue higher education in the United Kingdom.

According to the UK's Higher Education Statistics Agency, India comes second in a list of nations with the most students at British institutions, after China.

In 2008, over 23,835 Indian students arrived in the UK, a 24 percent rise compared to the previous year. (ANI)