‘Rip-off’ degrees
UK reforms likely to benefit Indian students
THE UK is seeking to effect reforms in its higher education system, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announcing a crackdown on the institutes that are mere ‘teaching shops’ offering ‘rip-off’ degrees. The students of these institutes have failed to find decent employment and are thus burdened with hefty education loans. Though the move is being criticised by Sunak’s opponents, it is likely to benefit Indian students — who have been flocking to the UK in the hope of getting world-class education from its leading universities and improving their career prospects — in terms of clarity about the value of the courses on offer. Notably, as per the 2020-21 data Indians are the second largest cohort of international students in the country after the Chinese.
Sunak’s argument in support of his aim to protect prospective students from being sold false dreams should be weighed in by all stakeholders. He has backed it with some eye-opening statistics: around 30 per cent of the graduates fail to ‘progress into highly skilled jobs or further study 15 months after graduation’. A careful perusal of Britain’s ranking of colleges as it sifts the mediocre and below-average ones from the good institutes should be a must for those aspiring to study in the UK.
This situation also assumes significance in the light of a recent social media post by an Indian student in the UK going viral. As she vented her frustration over her inability to find a proper job after graduation, it found resonance among many global graduates and postgraduates as they shared their heart-rending experiences. This is the harsh reality. Whether a course is viable enough to translate into worthwhile work opportunities should be the basis of choosing a college abroad.