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Whenever I tell people that I went to a university in India, people ask, "Why India?"

"Why not India?" is my rejoinder.

India has 229 universities and thousands of colleges. The nation boasts 438 engineering schools and more than a 100 medical colleges. 

Time magazine has ranked the Indian Institutes of Technology third in the world for technology, behind Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California, Berkeley.

The Financial Times has rated the master's of business administration programme at the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad among the top 10 MBA curriculum in Asia.

The Indian School of Business in Hyderabad has an exceptional faculty, an excellent library and an innovative curriculum similar to that offered at Harvard Business School in the United States. 

The All India Institute of Medical Studies in New Delhi is one of the best medical schools in Asia. Some other well-known universities are Delhi University, Aligarh Muslim University, Banaras Hindu University, Jawaharalal Nehru University and the University of Pune.

A single city, Pune, has more than 250 colleges, 3,000 training institutes and 500,000 students. That's why Pune, the cultural capital of Maharashtra, has been called the Oxford of the East.

Pune, 170 kilometres south of Mumbai, is a hotbed for information technology and biotechnology study. The National Chemical Laboratory, National Cell and Tissue Culture Laboratory and National Aids Research Centre are all there.

Vida Rahiminjad, an Iranian student who completed her master's degree in English literature in India, says she returned to the University of Pune for her doctorate because she found an outstanding adviser and the resource materials she needed.

"My professor, Raja Rao, is not only a great writer but also a great teacher. He is helpful and very kind," says Rahiminjad, who's researching women of India literature.

"I like the academic atmosphere here and I have ample material to do my PhD." 

Kaewta Prisawong, who earned a master's degree in sociology from the University of Pune, says Indian schools place a lot of importance on communication between young scholars and their teachers.

"The system emphasises  interaction between students and lecturers," Kaewta says.

"There's also a wide range of work assigned to students, which I can now apply to my work."

Indians speak English. Most universities offer classes in English. Foreign students need to past an English test conducted by their respective universities.

But many Thai students initially find it difficult because English words are often mixed with the national language, Hindi. It's what people call "Hinglish". 

But it's not as difficult as people think.

"I don't think pronunciation is a big deal," says Muzdee Sobaree, an Iranian student studying in at the University of Pune.

"The accent actually helps improve your listening skills because in the real world you aren't always interacting with people who have British accents."

The costs are much lower in India than in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, the countries most often associated with English-language education.

For students from Asia, India is close to home.  "In addition to the lower cost of schooling, India offers a diversity of culture, languages and religion," says Pracha Inang, a 38-year-old professor at Burapha University in Cholburi. 

Pracha graduated with a master's degree in psychology from Mysore University, in Karnataka state in southern India, and earned his doctorate at Gorakpur University in Uttar Pradesh.

"India provides great opportunities to learn in the classroom and in life," Pracha says.

"India taught me to adapt and live in any situation. There's a saying that's true: 'If you can live in India, you can live everywhere in the world'." India is a diverse country. It has a wealth of different customs and cultures.

Kaewta, who earned a master's degree in sociology from the University of Pune fell in love with the people, enjoying their festivals and lifestyles.

"Education can't be restricted to the classroom," she says.

"I wanted to see the world and thought that that I should begin with India."

A lot of students poke fun at the infrastructure at Indian universities, saying the facilities are older than the country itself.

"I knew what to expect, but it still took me by surprise. At the university's hostel, everything looked antique," says Otmane Boufarsi, a Moroccan studying in India.

"I realised that Indians don't care much for luxury, at least in the hostels. I learned that the students are willing to work very hard to earn their grades."

Anyone who has experienced student life in India has heard the words "come" and "tomorrow". They explain the Indian system. Everything has it's own rhythm in India. 

Students learn there is no need to complain; things get done at their own pace. Freshmen learn during their first week wandering around campus trying to submit documents. 

A group of Thai students actually used their experience to make a short film called "Come Tomorrow". It's a satire about India's single-window service, which should be like a one-stop service.

But, in fact, you usually need to stop at many windows to get paperwork done. It can take weeks to get all the stamps and signatures needed to process of paperwork. 

You might need three people to sign one form. But if the first person hasn't signed, the second might refuse even if you find him first. The only solution is to laugh and turn something difficult into something fun.

"It doesn't take much to survive in India - once you're accustomed to the food, weather and culture, says Kaewta, who graduated from University of Pune.

"Depending on where you live, the weather can be extremely hot or cold. Food can also be a tad bit spicy. And public transportation is not always the best. However, the combination of all these things taught me to be a survivor." 

Studying in India is like savouring an Indian meal. There is so much variety, so many flavours, on a single plate. Some dishes you love, others you hate. It's hard to describe India in a few words, especially studying and living here. But it's definitely worth experiencing.

Websites about India 

www.india123.com www.indiaeducation.info www.educationinfoindia.com

Cost of living

Admission, visa, tuition fees Housing and food costs

 Indian rupee = 0.84 baht

Documents and forms 

1. International Education Bulletin with Application forms, R500 (Bt420)

2. Eligibility fees (non-professional course), R600

3. Eligibility fees (professional course), R1,200

Total for non-professional, R1,100 and Total for professional, R1,700

Visa 

One-year student visa Bt3,100 

Indian Embassy

46 Sukhumvit Soi 23 (Prasarn Mitr) Bangkok 10110 Tel: (02) 258 0300-5 Fax: (02) 258 4627

After obtaining a student visa 

4. Entrance fee, R23,000 (Bt19,250)

5. Medical test fee, R2,750

6. Medical insurance, R3,450

Total R54,950

Tuition  fees for undergraduate and advanced degrees

Social sciences and arts, R40,000/year (Bt33,500)

Communication studies, R8,000/year

Computer science, R10,000-90,000/year 

Housing

 Students pay R5,000 deposit (R2,000 refundable)

Rent for dorm rooms: approximately R1,500/month

Rent off campus: approximately R1,800-7,200/month depending on neighbourhood, accommodations

Food 

Tea, instant coffee, R5

Fresh coffee, R25

Thali Indian food, vegetarian (dal, roti, sabzi and rice), R20

Thali Indian food, with meat (chicken curry or other curries), R50

Fried rice, R40

Chow mien (fried noodles), R20-R40

Mineral water, R15

Other expenses 

Newspaper, R2 

Laundry, R10 

Movie ticket, R60-R100

Source: Business Today, 2005 

Story and photos by

Tanistha Dansilp

Special to The Nation