'The Idea Of Studying Abroad Is Witnessing A Dimensional Shift Among Indian Students'

You are one step away from a completely different life and the idea of change is exciting for everyone. What if someone tells you that you can have a life abroad, live, study, travel, explore and experience life on the other side and he will figure out what and how you can get the passport to that life. Karan Gupta who runs Karan Gupta consulting has issued this passport to many. In an exclusive with BW Businessworld, he talks about the pros and cons of studying abroad and the dimensional shift in the behavioural pattern of students.

Q- There was a time when studying abroad among Indian students and staying back was a craze, but the pattern is changing now, what kind of a behavioural shift have you seen among students?
Well for starters the volume of students the number has increased drastically. We see close to a 100 thousand students going abroad. And a very large number of these students going to the US followed by Canada, Singapore, and then to the UK. The numbers in the UK were the highest but now it has reduced to the lowest. The reason it fell down the scoreboard that they withdrew its work permit after the study. All the other countries still have the option to stay back if the students want.

But now the students have become smarter, they know the exposure of study abroad can do wonders in India. The feeling of optimism has sought in. For countries like the US people feel they can work for five years and then come back. They have realised that the future of work is here in India. Students embrace the idea of going abroad, living there, experiencing a new life and then coming back home. Today it is easier to get into Stanford and Harvard than the IIT’s and the IIM’s in India.

Q- What are the main questions the students ask before they choose a programme?
The questions are very niche, they want to mainly know the kind of programs they want to go for. Should they go for leadership or general management or strategy, it is mainly the content. Mainly it is the master’s level or MBA. As for undergrad students are totally confused as to what the students are totally confused as to what they should do. Students want to understand what is it that they should study to achieve their goal. And that is the starting point of the counselling. So what we do for the students is what to do and which would be the best-suited country to do the same.

Q- Which parts of India do maximum students apply from?
Mostly the metro cities, obviously the awareness is much more on that side. Mumbai, Delhi give the highest numbers then there are students from Bangalore and Hyderabad in large numbers. Kolkatta is growing in terms of number and it is growing rapidly. If you want to know the potential for a city, look at how many international education fair organisers are conducting fairs in the city that can determine the importance of the city. Every year there is a fair in Kolkatta, now it is a strong market.

Q- Your foundation also runs courses for the specially abled children. Tell us more?
We work for the skill development of the specially abled, the mentally challenged and the slum kids of Dharavi. We have special courses designed for them, depending on how much is the level of their understanding. But we have handcrafted courses for everyone. We help in their skill development, get them a stipend of like 2-3 thousand a month and then make them self-sufficient.