Indian youth see US colleges as more flexible, life changing: NYT

New Delhi, Dec.13 (ANI): Indian school and college students are reportedly seeing the United States as a viable avenue to pursue higher education after acquiring their bachelor degrees in India.

Higher education institutions in the United States are said to have flexible and diverse courses, besides hands-on experience in the subject of a student's choice.

There is a view withing the Indian student community that courses in the United States offer practical experience, whereas in India, the syllabus is not at all flexible.

The younger population in India wants and says it can pay for better education, but they also know that in a country where thousands apply for each spot at a handful of top universities, the chances of securing admission are remote, the New York Times reports.

Indian students believe that a good foreign degree will land them better jobs and a better life.

In interviews with students around India recently, the NYT said that most of them said they wanted to strengthen their credentials outside of the country and voiced hope for growth in India after returning. They also spoke of the usual fears and concerns of students headed overseas.

The NYT quoted Ruchika Castelino, the head of the Indian operations of Study Overseas, a company that advises students, as saying: "That's such a huge question that students have. Then everything else follows - "Where shall I go, what is the kind of course, job placements, etc."

She estimates that the number of Indian students going overseas annually has doubled in the past six years, reaching more than 200,000.

For other students, where money is an issue, they opt for one or two-year programs at British universities. (ANI)