Blog #7: India Students Pushed into U.S.

Moulshri Mohan is one of many high school graduates in India who will be attending a second pick college (Dartmouth University) in the United States. Moulshri’s mother said that the admission season had surprised her, “Can’t get into DU, can make it to the Ivies.” Although Mohan scored a cumulative 93.5 percent on her final exams, she was rejected at her first pick, a college at the prestigious Delhi University. Delhi is one of India’s top universities, and like the small number of other colleges in the country, has been forced to become extremely selective towards its applicants.

Considering that nearly half of India’s 2.5 billion people are under the age of 25, it is evident that only the best of the best will be able to attend colleges there. Many of Delhi’s top colleges have a cut-off score nearing 100%. India government minister, Kapil Sebal, who supervises education, says the problem can be easily explained in terms of supply and demand. He explains that there are just not enough quality institutions to match the growing number of quality students wanting a quality education.

Meanwhile, American colleges and universities have enjoyed the increase in student numbers resulting from the shortage of schools in India. According to the American Embassy, student visas from India have increased 20% in the past year. Parents and students alike have begun to view American schools as a safe option from the stress and fear of not making it into one of India’s schools.

Socially, many parents have had to cope with their children traveling across seas, oftentimes alone after learning that they will not be able to attend a school in their home country. In the US, this has resulted in a greater population of Indian students, and ultimately more Indian business owners and entrepreneurs. This has been the cause of some discomfort among Americans in an already tumultuous economy, the most extreme declaring that members of other countries are here to “take over.”

Globally, many countries are affected by the United States and India, whether it be through trade, location of call centers, or indirectly. The issue has actually allowed for some positive aspects to occur in both countries. U.S. colleges have experienced a growth in Indian students, a much-needed boost after high school graduate numbers have decreased over the past few years. India has been able to partner together with U.S. universities, allowing them to set up offices to attract more students. This results in a greater number of students being confident that they will be able to attend college, while simultaneously building camaraderie between the two countries.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/14/world/asia/squeezed-out-in-india-students-turn-to-united-states.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hpw