With this pathetic situation it’s natural that bright students opt to go abroad to get good education. Unfortunately most of the students who go abroad have to take huge loans and sometimes the parents have to sell property to finance their children’s education. Indian students (foreign students) have to pay double to three times the fees charged to the locals.

While most Indians are very proud to get admission into foreign universities, it should be realized that universities in the UK, USA etc. are starved for funds and are only too happy to give admission to Indian students. It is no longer a matter of great pride to get admission into one of these foreign universities (except perhaps the Ivy League and Oxford).

Since the locals do not normally join university and most of them do not take up post graduation, many departments especially in the sciences are finding it difficult to exist. Indian students are a boon for them. But besides finance, Indian students have to face several other hardships while studying abroad. Racism, sometimes blatant but normally subtle, is common. There are cases where even blacks and Hispanics are becoming racist against Indians. The attacks in Australia are only the tip of the iceberg.

Finding jobs in these countries after education is difficult, more so in today’s environment. Even employers in India nowadays don't give any special consideration for foreign degrees unlike in earlier years. In this situation, if only the standard of education in India was better it would be very helpful to Indian students and it would not be necessary to go abroad.

It is hoped that the new HRD minister would do something drastic to improve the standard of education in the country.