Study trends in 2013

According to estimates in a report released by ASSOCHAM, nearly eight lakh Indian students spent over Rs 10,000 crore on overseas education in 2012-13. The report, titled ‘Funds flows out of India for Higher Education 2013’, reveals that the country needs quality institutes on the lines of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) for students wanting to pursue careers in management, accounting, engineering and chartered accountancy. Such an approach would not only restrict the outgo foreign exchange but also spread of global standards within the country increasing employability of the students in the industry and research institutions.

DS Rawat, secretary general, ASSOCHAM, called for deregulation of higher education and reversing the trend of brain drain by opening up a series of quality institutions with public private partnership, while commenting on the findings of the report.

Making a comparative analysis of the expenditure incurred by Indian students studying in India and those studying abroad, the report states that while an IIT student incurs an expenditure of USD 150 per month as fees, those opting to go abroad incur anywhere between USD 200-600, per month, in countries such as US, Canada, Australia and UK.

The report additionally adds that deregulation of the higher education sector will also make India a leading destination for students hailing from other developing countries. While USA tops the list with 82% enrollment in the higher education sector, countries with low enrollment in this space constitute Pakistan (5%), India (12%), China (20%) and Brazil (24%).

The report also finds that about 95% of all entrance exam takers in the IITs and IIMs do not make it due to capacity constraints in these institutes and end up taking admissions abroad. While currently there are about 900 million jobs in India, 90% of these are skill-based, requiring vocational training, 9% are knowledge based and only 1% require both knowledge and skills.

Number of TOEFL takers increases in India

According to data released by Educational Testing Service (ETS), the volume of TOEFL test takers in India surged 7 percent in 2012 compared to 2011.

In 2012, 67 percent of TOEFL test takers in India were male and 33 percent were female. The total mean age for TOEFL test takers in India in 2012 was 22.9 years old.

This trend also evident in other countries, continues the impressive global growth for the test for the seventh consecutive year, say company officials. In 2012, TOEFL test takers represented 180 countries. And, 90 percent of TOEFL test takers got into their first- or second-choice university or college.

"For more than 45 years the TOEFL test has been helping Indian students meet their educational goals," commented David Hunt, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of ETS's Global Division. "We are forecasting continued growth in 2013 and will monitor capacity in India, adding additional testing centers to respond to demand so that every student who wishes to take the TOEFL test has the opportunity to do so."

That TOEFL is being accepted by 8,500 institutions in 130 countries have made the test very popular. It is alos one of the least expensive ones and gets completed in half a day. In addition, in 2011, Australia's Department of Immigration and Citizenship approved the TOEFL test for use for student visas in Australia.

Mumbai girl tops GRE with full marks

Mumbai girl Ashwini Nene has topped the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) -- a pre-requisite for admissions to most US graduate schools and for some other countries - by scoring full marks of 340/340, an official said here Wednesday.

Nene, 20, is a student of Sardar Patel Institute of Technology, Andheri.

The GRE results were announced by Educational Testing Services, a US-based organisation that conducts the examinations worldwide.

Coached by KIC Education in Andheri, Nene is one of the few students globally to have scored a full marks in a revised and tougher GRE format this year.

"Ashwini Nene has many great attributes which went into producing the special score. She stands out for her humility, is very coachable and ensured that she made every classroom session count by absorbing all concepts and applying them effectively during practice," said KIC Education's founder and chief mentor G Kohli.

Nene said that the strategies taught by KIC Education were brilliant and she used them while giving the actual test, besides specific instructions for different question types, 20-30 tests in hard and soft formats, which help her get 340/340.

"It is hard to predict what (questions) one will get and though I expected to get close to 340, I did not anticipate an absolute score. Now, I shall focus on my academic and build a strong profile to qualify for the best universities in the US," Nene said.

Nene's parents are technology professionals in the northwest Mumbai Vile Parle suburb.

UK welcomes ‘genuine’ students

UK has traditionally been one of the most sought-after destinations for Indian students keen to pursue higher education. However, the recent changes in the UK government's visa rules have caused concern among students.

According to Kaustav Mazumdar, chief executive and founder-member of the ILS Network, the changes in the visa and work rules should not be a deterrent for students wanting to study in the UK.

The changes, in fact, are designed to ensure that those coming as students do so primarily to study and not to work, are suitably qualified to do so, and protected from the activities of some fraudulent colleges. UK continues to welcome all Indian students who wish to study at UK education institutions and meet the new criteria. The new visa rules are in place to support them.

NEW REFORMS

The reforms have been introduced gradually in 2011 and 2012. The last set of changes were introduced on April 6 this year. This included a change to the arrangements under which many international students may remain in the UK and work after their studies.

Though the Tier 1 post-study work visa has been discontinued, there is a provision under Tier 2 of the pointsbased system whereby students who graduate from a UK university will be able to take up graduate level jobs in the UK with registered companies paying a minimum of £20,000 a year, and work for three years, with the possibility to extend this for a further three years. These jobs do not form part of the annual limit on Tier 2 visas, nor are they subject to the usual resident labour market test.

Admitting that most Indian students are keen to work in the UK after they graduate so that they can finance their studies, Mazumdar says in the past through the post-study work visa route many students stayed on in the country trying to find the right job, while working on smaller assignments which did not require a qualification. But with the new changes, every deserving, hard-working student may get a job that fits their qualification. The country, he adds, is still open to talented Indians.

QUALITY EDUCATION

With the new rules in place, the UK government wants the best of international students to come to the country to study at high quality education institutions. The new changes announced by the government are to protect the interests of genuine students and target the areas where there has been abuse by education providers, students and their agents.

Mazumdar advises that all students should be concerned about is quality education, which most UK institutions of higher education offer. Also, he feels students should not confuse the reason why they are going to the UK — it is for the education not for employment. They should go to UK primarily for the quality education, which is a richer investment for life. Also, with globalisation it is not necessary that students who are keen to have international work experience have to stay in UK and work, they can also try for opportunities in other countries such as Singapore, Dubai, or even other parts of Europe. If a student has a good academic record, and the required skill-sets, the world is open to them, not simply one country.

The first step when you decide to go overseas for higher studies is to decide on your course of study, then research the best options available. If the best options are in the UK, decide on which institution. This is known as the three Cs of studying abroad — course, college, country.

For an undergraduate degree, students have to apply through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Postgraduate applications do not have a centralised admission process and are university specific mostly through online applications. Via the online system UCAS, a student is allowed to apply for a maximum of five different universities or courses. The student can upload one statement of purpose and one letter of recommendation in the UCAS form.

UK is also known for its strong research environment. Research is led by the Russell Group, a collaboration of 20 UK universities that together receive two-thirds of research grant and contract funding in the United Kingdom.

Genuine students are welcome

Sam Murray, Regional Communications Manager, UK Border Agency (UKBA), South Asia, on the recent changes in the post-study work visas for international students in the UK

You have probably heard that we have made changes to the rules for those wishing to study in the UK. The changes are designed to ensure that those coming as students do so primarily to study and not to work, are suitably qualified to do so, and protected from the activities of some fraudulent colleges.

We continue to welcome all Indian students who wish to study at UK education institutions and meet the new criteria. The new visa rules are in place to support them.

The reforms have been introduced gradually in 2011 and 2012. The last set of changes was introduced on April 6. This included a change to the arrangements under which many international students may remain in the UK and work after their studies.

We understand that for many Indian students being able to work in the UK after they graduate is central to their ability to finance their studies there. And we want talented Indians working in our country.

So, whilst we no longer have the Tier 1 poststudy work visa, we continue to have arrangements under Tier 2 of the points based system whereby students who graduate from a UK university will be able to take up graduate level jobs in the UK with registered companies paying a minimum of £20,000 a year, and work for three years, with the possibility to extend this for a further three years. These jobs do not form part of the annual limit on Tier 2 visas, nor are they subject to the usual resident labour market test. For further information about applying for a visa under Tier 2, please refer to the current published guidance on the UK Border Agency's website at www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visasimmigration /working/tier2/general In addition, we have introduced a brand new visa for graduate entrepreneurs. This will allow students who have world class innovative ideas to stay in the UK and develop their business. There are up to 1,000 places this year. Further details are available at: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visasimmigration /working/tier1/graduate-entrepreneur Finally, as a degree level student at a university, your ability to work during your studies remains unchanged. You may work up to 20 hours per week during term time and full-time in the holidays. Please take time to read the Tier 4 guidance carefully so that you understand what is required when you come to make your student visa application. Do not rely on rumours. Please apply for your visa in good time, fill out the application forms fully and honestly - you now need to do this online at www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk and submit the correct documents. If you do this, the visa process should be straightforward.

Indian students contribute to the British student experience

Jo Beall, director of education and society at the British Council, tells Tirna Ray, UK is not just welcoming, but enthusiastic in hosting Indian students

Indian students are concerned about the withdrawal of the Post Study Work (PSW) route. What do you have to say to them?
The first thing we have to say is that we support the government's concern to only admit genuine students, to attract the best and to go for quality rather than quantity. We are not interested in students to make money out of them. Instead, we are interested in having students in our universities because they want to be in British universities because they contribute to the universities' research and student experience.

We have had a number of problems related to bogus colleges that we had to tackle. However, having said that, it is a shame that by putting in place very complex visa regulations , we have created the 'perception' that the UK is not open to international students. We are categorically working towards reversing that perception towards demonstrating that the UK is open for business, study and in some cases, even for work.

We are asking the government to think about the wider implications for British cultural relations and British economy, while at the same time, strongly supporting the reasons behind the decision and the changes that have been made.

As to the issue of 'perceptions,' we are working closely with the British government and trying to address 'perceptions,' demonstrating that UK is a welcoming environment - not just welcoming, but enthusiastic in hosting Indian students who are among the brightest and the best.

Why do you think skill education is becoming so important globally?
The global focus on skills is partly to do with the recession and 'recognition .' Recognition that we need to provide people with the opportunities they want and to help people meet the aspirations they have. That applies both for employment and entrepreneurship . If you think of our work in Africa, a large population of the urban dwellers makes a living outside of formal employment. So, I think there is a recognition that skills-support is important for people to make a living, to be innovative, creative, and so on. Also, some of the events in the Middle East have demonstrated to the world that this is what the young people are asking for. When we listen to young people in North Africa and Middle East, it becomes clear that what they want are skills for employability, skills for entrepreneurship, and education that is going to give them jobs in the real world.

What is the scope for India and UK to work in the skills area?
There is a huge scope vis-a-vis actual sectors. While the UK has a lot of expertise in the oil and gas sector, at another end of the spectrum, we have a lot to offer in the area of hospitality skills or even livelihood related to tourism. Secondly, we can look at the education system itself for further/technical education and how we can - through a system-to-system approach - work together to enhance quality, look for ways to jointly accredit and jointly deliver courses of study.

The ambitions of the Indian government are to hugely enhance the offering of higher and further/technical education. And to reach those huge numbers, to extend access, I think India needs to draw on all the support it can get. And UK is very willing to work in partnership with India, to support that quest.

Doctors going to US for studies will have to sign bond for return

The government today said any doctor going to the US for higher medical studies would have to sign a bond with it before leaving and honour the document by returning to India after finishing the study period.

"From this year onwards, any student going for further medical education to the US will have to give us a bond that he will come back after finishing the studies. In the last three years, 3000 doctors went abroad for studies and did not return. Now if a student does not come back from the US, he won't be allowed to practice there," health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said.

He said the US from this year onwards is insisting on a government NOC to every student enrolling with an American institute for studies.

"No other country except the US is asking for this NOC. Those who apply to go to the US for studies from 2012, will have to give us a bond saying they would come back after finishing the studies. If they don't fulfill the bond obligation, we can write to the US to deny the student permission to practice," Azad told reporters here.

The minister also expressed the hope that the MCI will give its approval to the proposed three-year Bachelor of Rural Health Care course, which seeks to create a separate cadre of public health professionals in the country to serve in rural areas. He said the doctors' organisations were not interested in the course.

"Doctors' organisations are opposing the course. I have no hesitation in saying that they have a vested interest to increase their practice," Azad said.

Azad said there was a paucity of doctors in primary health centres as doctors only wanted to stay in urban areas.

"The rural health care course was ready two years ago. The curriculum is also ready. States are free to implement the course, as Assam is doing, but we wanted the MCI's recognition to ensure uniform standards for the course across India. We hope the MCI will move fast on it," he said.

The course, Azad said, would create professionals above the level of paramedics and below the level of MBBS doctors.

The move is aimed at not just taming the quacks, who have a field day in rural areas in the absence of adequate medical facilities there, but also provide good medical aid to the rural population at their doorstep.

It is being opposed by doctors' lobby as patients from rural areas rush to private practitioners in urban areas, even as doctors' organisations feel the creation of a new set of professionals would confuse the population and lead to devaluing the doctors, official sources said.

Sixty new British scholarships for Master's programmes

Sixty new scholarships for Master's programmes in the UK are to be awarded to Indian students this year 

British Prime Minister David Cameron has recently announced 60 new'Jubilee Scholarships' to be awarded to Indian students this year. The scholars will receive full funding for a one-year Master's course in the UK, starting September 2012. 

Funded by the British Council and the UK Government, the scholarships have been launched as part of the celebrations for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The aim is to enable talent from across India to come and study Master's courses in business, administration, manufacturing, science or technology. 

The awards will be open to applicants from all over India, and the scheme aims to include students from every Indian state among the awardees. 

Rob Lynes, the British Council's director in India, says, "A scholarship is a fitting way to mark the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee, as it is the creation of new opportunity - not just for the student, but for the host institution to benefit from Indian perspectives and ideas, for new friendships to be made and new links to be created and fostered between our two countries." 

Management fundamentals

In order to cultivate the talent of emerging business leaders who wish to lead organisations in an increasingly transnational world, University of Toronto (U of T) Mississauga is introducing a sixweek certificate programme in Global Management Fundamentals , which will begin from June 2012. 


This programme will cater to students from emerging economies like India, China and the Middle East by giving them an exposure to North American business fundamentals. It will help students to develop an overview of how businesses are conducted in North America, to develop business communication skills and other soft skills. According to Vandana Mahajan, director, international academic liaisons, University of Toronto Mississauga, the level of competition has increased multi-fold and the pressure on students to compete with the MNCs has also increased. 


Undergraduate students in their second or third year of BBA, BCom or business related courses are eligible for this programme , which will be conducted once a year during summers so that students can pursue it during their breaks. So how does it work? "Interested students will come to U of T for this programme in between their course after completing one or two years when they have a basic understanding of business management. After this, they will go back to their institutions and complete their degrees. This will give them best of both worlds. They will get a degree from their institution and a North American credential as well. This course will also be effective for those students who wish to come back for their postgraduation studies here," says Mahajan. It will be open only for students from those academic institutes (government and private) that U of T has tie-ups with. 


"We have identified six academic modules. These include international business, economics of business strategy, global accounting, cross-cultural organisational behaviour, global marketing and international finance," says Mahajan. 


Pointing out the strengths of this course, Mahajan says, "Alongside a rigorous academic curriculum that we have created for students , they will also be getting to know the soft skills from a North American perspective. The curriculum will enhance their communication skills, familiarise them with effective networking and interviewing techniques, and create other opportunities for professional development." 


Upon completion of the programme, participants will be awarded a certificate from the University of Toronto.