The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : IIT status lures NRIs to Osmania

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 24, 2007
ePaper

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

IIT status lures NRIs to Osmania

Enviable track record of Engineering College products adds to the charm

Nearly 70 NRI students are pursuing engineering
Instruction quality, personal attention attracting students

Going places: A file photo of the Osmania University College of Engineering.

HYDERABAD: The craze for education in IITs among Non Resident Indians (NRIs) is working in favour of the Osmania University College of Engineering (OUCE) ever since it was shortlisted for upgradation by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).

Though the State is yet to officially accept the MHRD’s offer due to “emotional” and “administrative issues”, NRI students seem to be pretty excited about it.

Nearly 70 NRI students are currently pursuing engineering at the graduate and post-graduate level including Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) from the USA also.

The enviable track record of the college alumni across the globe has also added to the charm.

“The number of queries about engineering education from foreign students, particularly NRIs in the US, has increased ever since the issue of IIT status has come up,” says P. Maruthi Mohan, Director, University Foreign Relations Office (UFRO).

Next big thing

“Getting into an IIT isn’t that easy for foreigners. So the charm of the next best thing is what is attracting the outside students,” he feels. The Principal of the College, D.N. Reddy, is of the opinion that the “quality of instruction and the personal attention” unlike in the US where the concept of teaching at this level is totally different.”

“Their only complaint is about the academic pressure which they are not familiar unlike the Indians. But, they do catch up by the first semester,” explains Prof. Reddy.

OU charges US $ 3,000 per year from every foreign student in the engineering course, while it is less than Rs. 10,000 for Indian students. “Despite paying US $ 3,000 it still works out to be cheaper for them since undergraduate courses are expensive there. Since many of them stay with their grandparents or relatives here, their parents too are happy since they are closer to their cultural roots,” explains Prof. Reddy.

As of now OU, Vasavi College of Engineering and CBIT are admitting foreign students on seeking AICTE’s approval. With the demand growing, it is a matter of time before all top engineering colleges follow suit, observes Prof. Reddy.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail