An education in India

One of the world’s fastest growing economies, India is justifiably proud of its education system, which today boasts more than 17,000 colleges, some 700 universities and well over a million schools spread across the subcontinent.

Fees are also very reasonable – about 30 per cent of those charged by international schools in Thailand and infinitely cheaper than the West – and India is thus attracting an increasingly high number of Thai students, all of them eager to improve their English-language skills while remaining in easy travel distance from home. 

“Just as elsewhere in the world, parents in Thailand are keen to give their children the best education possible. For that reason, we are seeing a rising number of Thai students studying in international residential schools, colleges and universities in India. There is a real demand for an Indian education,” says Sanjeev Bolia, organiser of the Great India Education Fair, the ninth edition of which was held recently in Bangkok. 

“An Indian education has long been seen as respectable and valuable; empowering students for future success and enabling them to gain a foothold on the competitive, global job market with well-paid career opportunities ahead.”

Chayarnithsarr Khanijor, an educational consultant for Thai students going to India, says she has sent thousands of Thai children and adolescents to India over the past 20 years.

“Most Thai students prefer to study in boarding schools in cities like Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Dehradun or Mussoorie. At the university level, the most popular subjects are computer science and IT, business management and engineering,” she says.

Indeed, several Thai students were more than happy to share their experiences of studying in India at the fair. While all admitted that living in India can be challenging, they also acknowledged that Indian education was a rewarding experience.

Prangthong Jitcharoenkul, received a scholarship to study at SBRR Mahajana First Grade College, which is affiliated with the University of Mysore in the south of India. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, Economics and Sociology.

“I’d always wanted to go to India though not necessarily for my education. When I was accepted by the university, I saw it as a good chance to improve my English because I think if I stayed in Thailand, my English would not be as good as it is now,” she says.

Prangthong shares her experiences and offers advice and tips to fellow Thais who are thinking of studying in India at her Facebook page “onlychildcansurviveinIndia”. She is also in the process of writing a book about Thais who have studied in India.

One of the biggest challenges she faced was understanding the Indian accent.

“It took a while to tune in but afterwards I had few problems. And if you can understand the Indian accent, then understanding other accents around the world becomes so much easier,” she says.

“Eating was also another challenge not because Indian food isn’t delicious – quite the contrary – but because it’s heavier than Thai cuisine. I put on a lot of weight during my first year but later managed to control my diet and avoid eating those late and sinfully rich dinners!” 

There are, she says, major differences between the Indian and Thai education systems. “Exams are very subjective-oriented, requiring lots of writing, unlike the multiple choice questions and objective style exams in Thailand.

“If you are unable to write, be prepared to fail. I struggled with writing and it took about two years before I saw an improvement. By the time I reached my final year, I could speak English more naturally and scored the highest marks in some papers, graduating with a first class classification.

“Debates in the classroom were also highly encouraged. Initially I was afraid to confront people on issues I did not agree with as this tends to be frowned upon in Thai classrooms. However, India taught me that it’s fine to express different points of view. My teachers would get the whole class debating a given topic. At times it seemed that the students were going to kill each other as the debates were always loud and heated but once the bell rang, the students laughed and went for lunch together. In Thailand, it is not easy to express different opinions and some confrontations can lead to a physical fight!”

Prangthong’s words are echoed by Nathatai Klamkham, currently a stewardess for an international airline, who spent five years at an Indian boarding school.

“The Indian education is more focused on the student and how he or she will apply his/her knowledge to real life situations, unlike the Thai education system, which relies totally on rote learning. What I liked best about the Indian education system was being able to raise my hand and ask questions when I didn’t understand. That’s not done in Thai schools.”

School fees and the country’s proximity to Thailand were also major factors in Nathatai’s choice of India.

Mattana Pongsopon, currently an Academic Service and Research Assistant at Ramathibodi Hospital’s Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Centre, was sent to Kolkata for both her primary and secondary education and holds a BSc in Biotechnology from Presidency College in Bengaluru.

“My father sent me to India because he wanted me to study in an affordable, English-medium school in a safe environment. He also wanted me to be able to take care of myself and grow up to be tough,” she says.

“The Indian education system is more intensive and has a higher number of compulsory subjects like algebra, biology, chemistry and physics, while in Thailand, you only get to study these if you opt for the sciences. Even though there is a fair amount of rote and book learning, the focus is on understanding while in Thailand, it’s mostly about memorising,” Mattana adds.

Prangthong says India taught her that there are no shortcuts to success.

“I worked hard throughout three-year course. I made mistakes and it was my failures that led me to where I am today. India also taught me about life and people and not to give up.”

“Life is the most valuable thing I learnt from India,” says Mattana, adding,“ India has all forms and shapes of life. I am who I am today because of India, which I am both proud and thankful for. I have learnt about helplessness, but not hopelessness. India has taught me that it doesn’t matter if you have a big heart; what’s important is to open up and reach out regardless of what you have.”

Prangthong says students heading to India must be open-minded. “I would recommend India to those who can accept the differences in people. Young people who are narrow minded and not ready to face new challenges or simply unable to adjust to a new atmosphere would do better to stay home.”

And, she says, prospective students and their parents should not be put off by the stories of rape that have headlined the international news over the past couple of years.

“Such attacks can happen anywhere,” Prangthong says. “One has to take precautions. In India, women should dress modestly, avoid going to unlit and quiet streets and travel with large group of friends.”

 

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