Chinese students speak with their Indian instructor at the Vellore Institute of Technology; a private engineering college in India that has formed a partnership with Wuhan U., in China.

Higher Education And Universities In India

India has 226 university level institution including 39 'Deemed universities.' Hundred and fifty five of them are traditional universities, 34 Agricultural Universities - Fisheries and Veterinary sciences, Horticulture and Dairy Technology - 17 are Engineering and Technology Universities including 6 Institutes of Technology, 14 Universities of Medical Sciences and Technology, a National University of Law, Institute for Population Sciences, Indian Statistical Institute, Indian Institute of Science, 1 University for Journalism, 1 University for Ayurveda, 5 Universities for Women's Studies, 6 Sanskrit universities, 7 Open Universities,7 Universities of Fine Arts and Music and 1 University of History of Art, Conservation and Museology.

There are more than 8000 colleges affiliated to these universities and it is estimated that nearly 5 million students are on roll. One hundred and fifty colleges out of the above said offer degree level courses in medicine, 74 in Dentistry, 90 in Pharmacy, 62 in Nursing, 170 in Agriculture and allied courses, 428 in Engineering, 116 in Ayurveda and 75 in Homeopathy. Master's courses in business management (MBA) and allied courses are offered at 292 colleges/ institutes including 4 Institutes of Management, which are centres of advanced learning. Along with constituent colleges of universities, a large number of research centres of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Indian Council of Medical Research, Indian Council for Social Science Research are also affiliated to the university system and offer research for doctoral and postdoctoral programmes.

In addition to the usage of English language as the medium of instruction by majority of the Universities and other institutions, flexibility and the quality of higher education have been attracting more and more international students to study in India. Since higher education is susidiesed in India its affordable to international students comparing with that in USA and the western countries in Europe and Australia especially to those who are from the developing countries in Africa, Asia and the south American countries.

Admissions

University education in India require students to complete their 12 years of schooling and 60-70 / 75 -80% marks in their qualifying examinations. The following examinations have been equated with the Senior Secondary Examination (Class XII) in India and considered to be the minimum admission requirement for the first degree programme.

• GCE Examination of the UK with passes in five subjects at the ordinary level (O level) and two subjects at the Advanced Level (A level). For admission to first degree professional courses, three passes at A level in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics/ Biology are essential. Knowledge of English is also compulsory for admission.
• Baccalaureate Examination of France.
• International Baccalaureate of Geneva.
• High school graduation from the accredited institutions of the USA.
• Intermediate/ Senior Secondary/ Higher Secondary/ Certificate level Examination of the approved Board of Secondary Education in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.
• Twelve years of Secondary stage qualifications of National Examination Board/ Council of the Ministries of Education of Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and Tanzania.