Top 10 things to look out for before applying to colleges in India

Top 10 things to look out for before applying to colleges in India

Introduction • Is India growing to be one of the most revered educational destinations? Yes, indeed it is!

• Even though, there might be a theory that counters this statement but the fact that outbound students are growing in number every year, and our growth percentage is higher than that showcased by China & Australia, there is indeed no doubt that ‘Study in India’ is on a outward growth trajectory and gaining popularity in the developing countries as an international educational destination.

• The number of foreign students coming to India increased by 50% in 2015 compared with 2014, and is bound to grow at radical rates in the coming years as well. As many as 80,000 foreign students came to India in 2016, up from 44,620 in 2014. Traditional incomers from Bangladesh and Afghanistan posted a high increase – 670% and 112%. The two countries accounted for 11,000 students. Further, according to UN estimates India is projected to become home to the world’s largest population of college-aged students – 119 million – by 2025.

• In view of the growing prominence it also becomes mandatory for incoming students to make their checklist for institutes stronger and stay vary of fake institutes and choose the right institutes that will make their study, stay and experience of being in India an enriching one. The Government of India, through its apex education bodies like AICTE and UGC has taken steps in setting up guidelines and standards for these universities, beyond which it is up to individuals to choose out the best fit institute as per their liking and also based on fulfilment of admission criteria.

Double check Ranking & Accreditation •

All the rankings issued by UGC & AICTE are available on their official websites, also listing of top colleges and those declared fake or unrecognized are also listed up on http://www.aicte-india.org

Find out about entrance exams & cut-offs •

There are multiple courses in the management, engineering and legal field, which require specific entrance tests and exams to be written by the candidate before securing admission based on these tests results. One needs to check through the details about these exams before applying for a course.

Foreign Students acceptance for the institutes/course: •

Many of the courses and colleges, even though they are top ranking are still not open for foreign nationals, one of them being the medical studies. But some even have a special quota for NRI and foreign nationals, thus it is best to cross check with the institute management for their policies set for foreign nationals before making an admission.

Accommodation & On-Campus facilities: •

It is best to opt for institutes that offer on-campus accommodation, as it saves up on travel cost and time. Most institutes have also built special facilities for international and NRI students that can be booked in at an additional cost.

Fees and cumulative overhead experiences: •

Even though it is a common notion that education is cheaper in India, but with the coming up of private institutes and state of art campuses the educational costs are also accelerating in India. Hence, it is always better to check up on the fees structure and list out all the hidden costs to get a cumulative figure on the total cost associated with it.

Scholarships & student benefits: •

There are multiple scholarships offered by the government of India and various cultural outfits in India. Many private institutes also offer their own scholarships to acknowledge student accomplishments- its best to keep a look out for these and make best out of studying in India.

Check for faculty ratio & accomplishments: •

Look out for institutes that have a maximum of PHD holders, and good research facilities.

Also, take a note on the number of permanent faculty that an institutes has, in comparison with the student strength. A good faculty student ratio adds up to the institutes’ credibility.

Placements & corporate associations: •

The ultimate goal of higher education is employability. Hence institutes having dedicated placement cells and strong corporate associations are able to offer more on ground training and facilitation.

Alumni and Peer group feedback: •

The strength of the Alumni speaks volumes on an institute’s linage, and skills. Also, look out for open feedback from peer groups, and exiting students about the institute in various open group, social media and students’ forum to know the internal details about it from the grapevine.

Student life on-campus and extra-curricular activities: •

As it is rightly said all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, similarly institutes that miss out on extracurricular activities, miss giving the extra edge and experience to its students. Be it sports, debaters, fests, or other types of inter-college competition, how a college fair in these also sets up precedence for its students to participate, to become managers, leaders and competitors at a younger age.

Conclusion •

The best way to figure out about all the above information would be to log on to Admissiondesk.org. It is a dynamic two-way interface that connects interested students to institutes willing to accept international applications. It not only brings in a cumulative list of the colleges and universities but aims to become a one point contact base for all international students’ related query and admission processing for advanced learning options in India; thus enabling students and institutes to interact freely.

THANK YOU!