Indian Schools Can Be A Cheaper Alternative For English Students

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Indian schools can be a cheaper alternative for english students

Wannapa Khaopa

The Natio

One-fifth the cost of many courses in US, Europe

BANGKOK: -- Far cheaper than those in the US or Europe, schools in India have become a good option for Thai students who want to equip themselves with English proficiency.

"Studying in India is one fifth of the cost of studying in the UK," said Sanjeev Bolia, founder and CEO of Afairs Exhibition and Media Pvt Ltd, which has hosted the Great India Education Fair (TGIEF) in Thailand for four consecutive years.

According to Bolia, the average total cost including tuition fees and living costs for graduate students studying in the business, management, arts and sciences or technology fields for three to four years in India was $10,000 (Bt310,000), while in the UK it was about $56,000-$66,000, and in the US it was even higher at $80,000 for public academic institutions and $102,000-$137,000 at private ones.

"Therefore, there are more than 7,000 Thai students studying in various Indian universities on a self-financing basis, specialising in management, engineering studies, IT and even English, and over 3,000 Thai students get admitted to Indian boarding and international schools each year in North and South India," said Bolia.

He added that the number of Thai students in India was growing by 20-30 per cent per year, while the number of university and college students was growing 5 to 10 per cent yearly.

Business, management, IT, engineering, medicine and pharmacy are the most popular fields among Thai students.

IIT Bombay was ranked 187th in the QS World University Rankings in 2010. Three Indian universities - Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Management and Jawaharlal Nehru University - were listed in the Times Higher Education list of the world's top 200 universities in 2005 and 2006. Six Indian Institutes of Technology and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science were listed among the top 20 science and technology schools in Asia by Asia Week. The Indian School of Business in Hyderabad was ranked number 12 in global MBA rankings by the Financial Times of London in 2010, and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences has been recognised as a global leader in medical research and treatment, according to Bolia.

Studying aside, "Thais can get a job in India and at India-based companies in Thailand. There is a possibility to get a job at Thailand-based companies running their businesses in India, too," said DK Bakshi, secretary-general of the India Thai Business Association.

He added that India could help Thai students become more fluent in English, which would increase their chances of being selected by companies both in India and Thailand.

Apart from the lower cost, India's similar Buddhism-based culture and traditions could help Thai students adjust to their new environment. Assoc Prof Boonlue Jaimano of Kasetsart University, who graduated from Delhi University, said he found that Indians do many things in a similar way to Thais.

"They wai when greeting others - as we do in Thailand. I really enjoyed learning words spoken by Indians, too. Many Thai words and names have a Sanskrit background," Boonlue added.

However, Indian dishes that contain a lot of spices seem to be a major concern among Thai students.

Bolia said some schools cooked Thai food for their Thai students.

Other alumni said Chinese food, which Thais were more familiar with, is also served widely in India.

Boonlue said he also had to deal with the problem of unfamiliar food; at first he could not eat Indian food. He urged newly arriving Thai students to bring some Thai herbs and instant Thai food with them and cook for themselves until they felt more familiar with the Indian food and were able to eat it.

Moreover, Bolia insisted that Thai students were safe in India.

Interested parents and students can get more information directly from representatives of Indian academic institutions at the fifth TGIEF, which will be held under the theme "world class education at an affordable cost" at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok on March 3-4.

The event will showcase over 100 of India's finest schools, colleges and universities, including international schools; boarding schools; co-educational residential schools; school examination boards; medical, dental, engineering and management colleges deemed universities; international universities; distance-learning universities, distance-learning technology institutes; and professional and vocational institutions.

TGIEF attracted over 4,000 visitors last year and is expected to draw over 6,000 visitors this year.

-- The Nation 2012-02-06

[manarak]

I hope the Indian schools teach English differently than how the Indians I was working with spoke it!

[TheWalkingMan]

Interesting article.

[Loaded]

Singapore is also a great option. They are working hard at attracting foreign students (mainly ASEAN) with campuses of many highly respected western universities on the island.

[IAMHERE]

Singapore is also a great option. They are working hard at attracting foreign students (mainly ASEAN) with campuses of many highly respected western universities on the island.

And the cost for a year at the Singapore University is ?

[khaowong1]

I hope the Indian schools teach English differently than how the Indians I was working with spoke it!

Ha ha ha. Can't you just picture a Thai speaking English in that Indian accent. I met a couple of Sri Lankan monks this year and couldn't understand one word of their English. :-)

[Baerboxer]

I worked and lived in India for several years. I had a good exposure to the Indian education system, various business groups and the Confederation of Indian Industry. India certainly produces good engineers, including R&D, software etc; and is good at teaching mathematics.

However, when it comes to teaching, learning, speaking and writing English - India is not the place to go. The only Indians I met, who could use English correctly are the ones who have been lucky enough to study in the UK. Lots of Government, Legal and Business matters are conducted in English which creates a false impression. The vast majority of Indian educated senior managers, of all functional disciplines, I dealt with, had very poor English. Unfortunately, they don't seem able to recognise this which inhibits improvement, as they genuinely believe they have been taught correctly.

The two other points to bear in mind. An Indian bachelor degree is not comparable with a UK one. It is more like the UK HND standard. Similarly India turns out large numbers of Masters degrees. I have interviewed many Indian MBA's - hmmmmmmmm. Not employed any. The second point is that, sadly, India is still a very courrupt society. Position and wealth can easily influence the awarding of qualifications - certainly not a meritocracy.

In the interests of fairness - I did meet one Indian Headmaster, who was Oxbridge educated. He ran is own private school where many of my Indian friends sent their children. He charged about a tenth of the price of the local American International school and was considerable better. There are a few "gems" in India - but an awful lot of dross.

[Darkman]

Regardless of the quality of English there is one major difference between Indian and Thai students. (IMexperience). Indian students want to learn, Thai students don't, speaking generally of course.

[alanferdi]

I hope the Indian schools teach English differently than how the Indians I was working with spoke it!

English - is an Universal Language! Thai English and Indian English..... GOD SAVE THE QUEEN

[MaiChai]

Part of the experience of study in US/UK/Australia/etc is getting exposure to how things are done in a 1st world country. Not only do students get a good education, they get exposurure to 1st world morals, ethics, law, etc. This experience is invaluble later in their careers. Thus you get what u pay for.

Edited February 6, 2012 by MaiChai

[EvolvingApe]

I hope the Indian schools teach English differently than how the Indians I was working with spoke it!

They do, at least in particular schools. At ABAC I have a Thai classmate who told me she used logic to succeed in her mid term exams. I replied that if she understands and values logic I know she didn't go to Thai schools, to which she replied with her near perfect American English accent that her parents agreed with me and that's why she went to high school in India.

[EvolvingApe]

Part of the experience of study in US/UK/Australia/etc is getting exposure to how things are done in a 1st world country. Not only do students get a good education, they get exposurure to 1st world morals, ethics, law, etc. This experience is invaluble later in their careers. Thus you get what u pay for.

Holy Shit you must be putting us on. Developed countries are morally superior to those less developed? You've got some explaining to do on this one mate.

[Naam]

Singapore is also a great option. They are working hard at attracting foreign students (mainly ASEAN) with campuses of many highly respected western universities on the island.

And the cost for a year at the Singapore University is ?

including campus accomodation (2 students sharing room) between 22,000 and 26,000 US-Dollars depending on the University (Singapore has a fistful).

[Naam]

I hope the Indian schools teach English differently than how the Indians I was working with spoke it!

English - is an Universal Language! Thai English and Indian English..... GOD SAVE THE QUEEN

that's exactly what i think when i hear some Brits or Aussies speaking "English", not to mention some Tchermanns (like me) or GOODNESS GRACIOUS Swiss chaps like Marc Faber on CNBC or Bloomberg

[Naam]

Part of the experience of study in US/UK/Australia/etc is getting exposure to how things are done in a 1st world country. Not only do students get a good education, they get exposurure to 1st world morals, ethics, law, etc. This experience is invaluble later in their careers. Thus you get what u pay for.

Holy Shit you must be putting us on. Developed countries are morally superior to those less developed? You've got some explaining to do on this one mate.

no need to explain something. his posting is "invaluble" (sic) and self-explanatory!

[aussiebebe]

It's an interesting article; the rate of change in startling;

the number of Thai students in India was growing by 20-30 per cent per year

[maprao]

I hope the Indian schools teach English differently than how the Indians I was working with spoke it!

and the way way they spell and write the language.

[maprao]

Part of the experience of study in US/UK/Australia/etc is getting exposure to how things are done in a 1st world country. Not only do students get a good education, they get exposurure to 1st world morals, ethics, law, etc. This experience is invaluble later in their careers. Thus you get what u pay for.

Holy Shit you must be putting us on. Developed countries are morally superior to those less developed? You've got some explaining to do on this one mate.

No but there is a reason Mumbai looks like Mumbai and London looks like London. Unless you have been or worked with people from that area it is hard to imagine without sounding prejudiced. But facts are facts!

[David48]

First impressions on reading this was that it is nothing more then, what is referred to in Australia as an “Advertorial’, which is a hybrid of an advertisement and that which is purported to be genuine news.

What are they advertising?

Interested parents and students can get more information directly from representatives of Indian academic institutions at the fifth TGIEF, which will be held under the theme "world class education at an affordable cost" at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok on March 3-4.

As for Thais speaking broken English with an Indian accent ...

[Naam]

I hope the Indian schools teach English differently than how the Indians I was working with spoke it!

and the way way they spell and write the language.

if that is the case i conclude that a lot of Indians are posting here

[Baerboxer]

I hope the Indian schools teach English differently than how the Indians I was working with spoke it!

They do, at least in particular schools. At ABAC I have a Thai classmate who told me she used logic to succeed in her mid term exams. I replied that if she understands and values logic I know she didn't go to Thai schools, to which she replied with her near perfect American English accent that her parents agreed with me and that's why she went to high school in India.

An Indian High School ............ and speaks with a "near perfect American English" accent. ???????????????