Students’ Exodus a Cause of Concern for Hyderabad
Even after the bifurcation of the Andhra Pradesh there is no marked development of the education scenario and nearly 18,000 students from Hyderabad
<p>Even after the bifurcation of the Andhra Pradesh there is no marked development of the education scenario and nearly 18,000 students from Hyderabad migrated abroad this year for higher studies as per report of the several leading visa consultancy firms in the city.
A recent survey revealed that there is a sharp rise of 50% in the number of students from both the Telugu states leaving for higher studies abroad.
Before the bifurcation higher education was in a state of utter disarray in Andhra Pradesh. Due to agitation for the new state the education atmosphere was greatly disturbed in the state. Students from Andhra Pradesh used to migrate Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Delhi and Maharashtra and that trend is still continuing.
But after the bifurcation things didn't settle even in 2014 and this year situation took it worse turn.
"There is an unprecedented demand for US visas this year, thanks to the delay in conducting admissions due to disputes between officials of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh," said a consulting firm.
Around 14,000 students opted for the US, while others went to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, UK and Germany. Usually, students go abroad for post-graduation courses, but this time, the undergrad admissions, too, witnessed a steep rise by 30%, from Hyderabad.
The major reasons for students migrating to abroad are
• The fight between Telangana and Andhra over building and funds
• Several students from Andhra Pradesh as well as Telangana who got admissions into prestigious colleges of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) and Osmania University (OU) cancelled their admissions and left for other states and abroad.
• Some private universities from Tamil Nadu and Karnakata have made a brisk business as many Telugu students opted for Manipal University (Karnataka) and SRM and VIT (Tamil Nadu). An SRM official estimated the Telugu students' exodus at 20,000, 40% more this year.
• Telugu students chose to migrate also because of the lack of clarity over eligibility conditions for the full fee reimbursement scheme given by the government to students of recognised colleges.
• Telangana government's decision to tighten the norms for payment of fees under the scheme and restrict it only to local students, a large number of them had to depend on other sources of funding. "Naturally, the banks and financial institutions encouraged students to go for top premium private universities in other states and abroad,"
• The poor academic conditions in Telangana universities, which have stemmed from the fact that the government hasn't appointed vice-chancellors to any of the 11 universities in the state.
• Colleges in the coastal districts of Andhra are substandard, parents prefer to send their children abroad, than admit them to these shabby colleges.
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