Indian Students Defer Plans to Study Abroad Due to COVID: Report

Majority of the students want a reduction in tuition fees if classes are held online.

Majority of the students are wanting a reduction in tuition fee if classes are taken online.

(Photo: iStockphoto altered by The Quint)

Indian students have been forced to rethink their overseas education plans for due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a survey by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a British agency, almost 61 percent of Indian students have decided to defer their course by a year. Only 8 percent have chosen to study in a different country and another 7 percent are cancelling their plans altogether.

As of 11 August, the survey had collated responses from 66,959 students, of which 11,310 are Indians.

As per report data shared with The Indian Express, 49 percent of the Indian students plan to study at ‘postgraduate-by-coursework’ level MBA, while another 19 percent at research-level.

The survey also says that 29 percent want to pursue undergraduate studies abroad while the remaining are planning to pursue English language studies, vocational education, training and foundation courses.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, India is the world’s second-largest source of international students with nearly 7,53,000 Indians students abroad as of July 2018.

It’s no surprise that many students are opting to put off higher studies for the year as many universities are moving their Fall Semester entirely online.

Almost half of the Indian students object to the idea of studying their programme online while only 17 percent have given a positive response to the idea of online classes.

The survey also found that majority of the students (82 percent) are expecting the universities to reduce the tuition fee if they are expected to pursue the course online. In fact, only 5 percent of students do not have a problem with paying the regular amount.

“When it comes to what measures they want universities to implement, prospective international students are becoming less interested in moving courses online and more interested in universities holding lectures in larger rooms to minimise contact,” the survey states.