Roshan Blog: STUDY IN INDIA

While India has traditionally been seen as a country that sends rather than receives international students, it is in fact emerging as a study destination in its own right.

With the world’s second largest population (after China), and a fast-growing and ever-more influential economy, it’s unsurprising that India’s higher education system has undergone rapid expansion over the past few decades.

It is now one of the largest higher education systems in the world (after China and the US) – and to an outsider, perhaps one of the most complex. There are thousands of universities and colleges to choose from, of many different types, sizes, specializations and origins, some state-run, others private.

India is especially well known for the quality of its education in engineering and technologysubjects, spearheaded by the prestigious and internationally recognized Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). There are currently 16 of these, around the country, focusing mainly on engineering, technology and science disciplines.

Other highly acclaimed specialist institutes include the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, and the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), of which there are 13 spread across the country.

Among India’s more general universities, the highest performing in the QS World University Rankings are the Universities of Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Pune.

Search for top universities in India >

Second largest national population in the world (after China) at 1.2 billion in 2011
Capital is New Delhi, but largest city by population is Mumbai (also called Bombay)
National official languages are Standard Hindi and English, but individual states have additional official languages
Major religions include Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism and Buddhism
Around 3% of GDP invested in higher education (1.2% from public sources, 1.8% private) – higher than the US
The third largest higher education system in the world (after the US and China)
Currency is the rupee (1 rupee = 100 paise)
Popular sports include cricket, field hockey, football (soccer), basketball and tennis
India has its own space agency, and is planning its first manned space mission for 2016
Climate varies significantly from northern to southern India, but is generally split into three seasons: hot, wet (monsoon) and cool

India is without question one of the world’s most culturally diverse countries. In terms of religion, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism and Buddhism are all broadly practiced. And in terms of language, it’s difficult to imagine greater diversity – hundreds of dialects are used here, and in fact the 2001 census identified no less than 26 different mother tongues with more than a million speakers.

As a student, you're likely to be based in one of India’s major cities, which include:

Delhi

It’s fair to say that Delhi has a reputation for being a little overwhelming. The governmental capital, New Delhi, is just one part of this sprawling metropolis (the largest by area in India, and among the largest worldwide) in the north of the country.

However, it’s also widely agreed that exploration more than pays off here. Delhi is packed with Indian culture both old and new, from 17^th century mosques to the more contemporary but equally impressive Lotus Temple, and magnificent Mughal-era monuments to bustling modern-day marketplaces.

Among the hundreds of universities and colleges based in Delhi are the University of Delhi, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University.

Mumbai

India’s most populous city, Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is located on the west coast at the site of a large natural harbor. It’s known as the country’s commercial center, and home of the Indian entertainment sector – including the world-famous Bollywood film industry.

Like many of India’s major cities, Mumbai consists largely of contrasts and extremes: glistening skyscrapers and ancient bazaars, stylish nightspots and grungy bars, glamorous restaurants and simple-but-delicious street food – and probably most striking for the majority of visitors, great wealth in close proximity to large slums.

Whatever you’re into – architecture, clubbing, food, art, live music – Mumbai has it all. It’s also home to numerous universities and colleges, including the University of Mumbai, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute, SNDT Women’s University, the National Institute of Industrial Engineering, Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies and S P Jain Institute of Management and Research.

Bangalore

Third most populous city Bangalore (also called Bengaluru) is the capital of the state of Karnataka, towards the south of India. It’s probably best known as the hub of India’s booming information technology sector, and its high concentration of tech companies has earned it comparisons to the US’s Silicon Valley.

Culturally it may not be able to compete on the same scale as Delhi or Mumbai, but Bangalore does have its own film industry, a vibrant live music scene (from classical Indian to modern-day rock), and more than enough restaurants, bars and festivals to keep most people busy!

The city also has a strong higher education sector, with options including Bangalore University, the Indian Institute of Science, the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, and smaller research-based institutes such as the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore and the National Centre for Biological Sciences.

Explore more study destinations in Asia >