Kerala students prefer higher education in Europe over the US
Besides, post-study work permits and diverse cultural experiences have made multiple foreign destinations, once viewed only as tourist spots, appealing choices for international students.
'It has become increasingly difficult for Indians to secure jobs or get permanent residency in the US. Thousands are still waiting for over 20 years for permanent residency. We are allowed to stay there for three years after the studies, but getting the visa extended is a lottery,' said Dion Saji from Manasseri in Kozhikode, who is preparing to leave for higher studies in the Netherlands.
Akshay Menon from Ernakulam feels that limited career opportunities due to the administration favouring citizens over foreigners are the main reasons for most students choosing not to go to the US. 'I have friends in the US who got rejected in several job interviews just because of their nationality. Despite the claim of inclusiveness, getting a job in the US is tricky for us', added Mr. Menon, who too has opted to complete his post-graduation in Germany.
Most universities in Germany offer free education. Many of the European countries offer post-study visas for 18 months to two years that enable the students to stay back and seek employment.
'Unlike in the US, where opportunities to earn while you learn are limited and time-bound, Europe offers better work-life balance,' Mr. Saji said.
Although the diplomatic friction between India and Canada appears to be settled, the State Bank of India, India's biggest public sector bank, is yet to lift the suspension of several leading Canadian universities from its Global Ed-Vantage education loan programme, which enabled students to access collateral-free loans of up to ₹50 lakh at leading universities across the globe.
Anju P., a student from Kozhikode, had France as the first option for her post-graduation dreams in the travel and tourism sector. 'Most European countries offer a cultural experience as well. With a single student visa, we can travel across 26 nations. We get to experience various cultures along with our academics', she said.
Remya M.G., a high school teacher and parent of a student seeking higher education in the UK, said, 'I know some students who went to Canada and have been struggling to get a job for years.'
While Germany and the UK are hot favourites among the students, countries like Latvia, Malta, Lithuania, and Poland are also much sought after. 'We are processing at least 200 applications for education loans in every district of the State at present from students seeking higher education in the UK', said a consultant for a leading nationalised bank in the country.
While studying in European countries poses a language challenge for most, the students seem willing to face this challenge head-on. There are a number of institutions in Kerala that offer training in foreign languages to equip the interested students for a flourishing career in European countries.
'There was a time when everyone blindly chose Canada or the US. Those days are long gone; students now choose their study destinations wisely,' said Mohammed Shuhaib, who heads an educational consultancy in Kozhikode.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
19 minutes ago
- Business Standard
ICICI Bank faces netizen ire for raising min balance requirement to ₹50,000
ICICI Bank, India's second-largest private sector lender, is facing significant backlash from customers on social media after raising the minimum monthly average balance (MAB) for new savings accounts in metro and urban areas to ₹50,000, effective 1 August. As per the bank, in metro and urban areas, the MAB will be ₹50,000, up from the earlier ₹10,000. Similarly, in semi-urban branches, it will rise to ₹25,000 from ₹5,000, while in rural branches, the requirement will double to ₹10,000 from ₹5,000. MAB is the simple average of day-end balances for a calendar month. 'Majority of Indians earn below ₹25,000 monthly. So ICICI Bank wants them to keep two months' salary as minimum balance in their account,' wrote a social media user on 'X'. Another user wrote on X, 'Every bank should have a basic savings account without any requirement of balance.' Meanwhile, on LinkedIn, a user wrote, '₹50,000 is 2–3 months' income for millions of Indians. In rural India, ₹10,000 is the difference between survival and debt. The role of banks should be financial inclusion — helping more people access the system, build savings, and grow wealth. ICICI Bank is doing the exact opposite: shutting the door on those who need it most.' Other large private sector lenders such as HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, IndusInd Bank, Yes Bank, and others have a lower MAB requirement of ₹10,000 in metro and urban centres. In contrast, state-owned lenders such as State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, and others have waived the minimum account balance requirements recently for customer convenience. Another user on LinkedIn wrote, 'This major hike (in MAB) is expected to impact customers, especially from rural and semi-urban areas. Customers who are not able to maintain the required balance may face penalty charges, which could cause financial strain for low-income holders.'
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
India's passport climbs several ranks in world's most powerful passports rankings; US, UK no longer powerhouses - top points to know
The strength of Indian passport has increased substantially in recent times. India's passport has climbed several ranks in the latest Henley Passport Index list of the world's most powerful or strongest passports. The strength of Indian passport has increased substantially in recent times, enabling Indians to access more than 60 nations without prior visa arrangements or through visa-on-arrival facilities. Interestingly, an assessment of the Henley Passport Index in a TOI report shows that amongst the passports of approximately 200 countries the conventional leaders such as the US and the UK have declined in rankings, whilst Asian nations have emerged as the new frontrunners in passport privileges. How powerful is India's passport? The Indian passport's position has seen a marginal improvement from the previous year, although its performance over extended periods shows considerable variations. The present standing is actually lower than its position ten years prior. The highest position achieved was number 71 in 2006, the TOI report said. Whilst India currently holds the 77th position in the latest rankings, it lags behind 147 nations regarding the count of destinations where its citizens can access visa-free travel or obtain visa-on-arrival privileges. Strength of India's passport For Indian passport holders, Africa and South-East Asia present the most accessible international destinations. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like She Was Everyone's Dream Girl In 90's, This Is Her Recently Cash Roadster Undo Besides unrestricted entry to certain neighbouring nations, Indians can visit many African and South-East Asian countries through simplified visa-on-arrival schemes or electronic visa applications. The duration of visa-free stays varies across nations: 7-15 days in 4 countries (including Iran, Philippines) 30-60 days in 12 countries (including Malaysia, Thailand) 90 days in 6 countries (including Maldives, Senegal) 180 days in 2 countries (Dominica, Montserrat) Unlimited stay in 2 countries (Nepal, Bhutan) The accessibility breakdown shows: * 26 countries offer visa-free entry * 38 countries provide visa-on-arrival * 41 countries accept e-visa applications Indians enjoy straightforward visa access to more than 100 nations, including those offering e-visas. Among South Asian nations, Bhutan ranks 84th globally in passport strength, whilst Bangladesh (94th), Nepal (95th) and Pakistan (96th) occupy similar positions. Sri Lanka stands at 91st position. China, India's northern neighbour, holds the 60th position, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 83 destinations. Top 10 most powerful passports : Asian countries lead in global passport rankings Citizens from Singapore, Japan and South Korea currently enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival privileges to more than 190 destinations worldwide. Their sustained international relations, economic partnerships and worldwide connectivity have established their dominance in passport strength. This leadership position has remained stable across recent years. Rank in 2025 | Passport | Access (visa-free) Singapore — 193 Japan, South Korea — 190 Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain — 189 Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden — 188 Greece, New Zealand, Switzerland — 187 UK — 186 Australia, Czechia, Hungary, Malta, Poland — 185 Canada, Estonia, UAE — 184 Croatia, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia — 183 Iceland, Lithuania, US — 182 Decline of traditional western influence The United States and United Kingdom, which held premier positions in passport rankings in 2014 with extensive global access, have experienced a notable decline in their standings over the previous ten years. US, UK no longer the powerhouses The United States, whilst positioned at number 10, now trails behind 33 nations regarding the quantity of countries offering straightforward entry to its passport holders. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays , public holidays , current gold rate and silver price .
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Countries must make policies to mitigate crisis from tariff wars: Nigerian farm scientist Ademola Adenle
Eminent agriculture scientist and policymaker based in Nigeria, Ademola Adenle, who won the first M.S. Swaminathan Annual Award for Food and Peace last week, told The Hindu in an interview that every government should engage all the key stakeholders and come up with appropriate policy to mitigate the crisis from unnecessary tariffs being imposed on developing countries. 'If you don't have a policy in place that can mitigate this crisis, then it's going to be very, very difficult,' he said, adding that governments were not doing enough to improve the quality of farmers and farm products within the system so that imports could be restricted. An expert in Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) technology, Prof. Adenle said a strong base in scientific research, proper regulatory mechanisms and adequate legal systems could allay the concerns over the use of GM crops. Prof. Adenle said global agriculture was facing a lot of challenges such as land degradation, climate change, poverty, water scarcity etc. and technology was going to play a big role in fighting these problems. He said destruction of food systems during conflicts, war and trade imbalance and other factors were leading to supply chain disruptions, price hikes, shortages, and instability in local and global markets. 'The most important aspect of that is to look at the policy, at the national, regional and international level,' he said. Trade imbalance Terming the recent tariffs announced by United States President Donald Trump as a manifestation of trade imbalance, Prof. Adenle said Mr. Trump was increasing tariffs by 20 to 50% on some countries. 'If you don't have an existing policy that addresses long-time effect of tariffs, that is being imposed by another country, then it becomes a problem. It becomes a crisis. You must have a very comprehensive policy that mitigates effects of other policies from other countries. Otherwise, the response will be retaliatory — doing the same thing. I don't know whether it is the best approach,' he said, maintaining that governments were not doing enough to improve the quality of farmer within the system. 'The quality problem has to be addressed and you have to have a policy that discourages import.' Prof. Adenle suggested that to ensure nutritional quality, India needed bio-fortified crops. 'It doesn't necessarily have to be genetically modified. Improved varieties can address nutritional problems. You have to preserve those traditional crops and improve them,' he said, pointing out that by 2050, the agriculture production was being projected to increase by 70% to meet the demands of growing population and there was a need to invest in research and development programmes to adopt new technology. 'If you are not investing in R&D, it will be difficult to compete with China, United States, and some European countries, because some of these countries have invested a lot of money in various programmes such as AI, genome editing, modern bio-technology, including GMO,' Prof. Adenle said. Policies prescribed by multilateral agencies of the United Nations and global banks should be aligned with the interest of national development of individual countries to achieve the overall objective of agricultural production. He said the GMO was quite controversial and it had a lot of advantages and it had potential risks too. 'It can reduce the amount of chemicals. However, there are concerns about biosafety, ecological impacts and market control. That is why it is important to work with the local researcher. The regulations are very important. We came up with the idea of F3 approach, which is fibre, feed, and food. The idea of fibre started with cotton for textile production; it is not for consumption. Then you move on to feed. If the GM feed, after all necessary risk assessment, is safe for animals, then you move on to GM food. F3 framework is to allay concerns of farmers that GM products are actually good for human consumption,' Prof. Adenle said.
