Indian varsities woo Nigerian students with scholarships

Nigerians students willing to study some courses in the medical field including nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy, radiography, among many others in the paramedical field, and in other disciplines abroad, now have the opportunity to live their dreams as an Indian varsity is handing out partial and full scholarships along this line.

The scholarships, according to a chieftain of Lagos State-based Edusoft Associates, come in the form of discounts on tuition and in a few cases, full scholarships.

Edusoft’s Director of Operations, Mr. Badri Prasad, who spoke recently advised youths who desire to study abroad, but are bogged down by factors like cost as well as the falling exchange rate to consider studying in India saying, “I invite such students and their parents to consider higher education in a reputable university in India.”

Prasad, who said the firm, which has been instrumental to helping hordes of Nigerian students gain admission to study in India over the past three years, described the Indian education system as being “highly competitive and market-driven, with emphasis on producing graduates that would meet the needs of industries and markets.”

He continued, “In 2014, through EduSoft Associates, 10 Nigerians received scholarships to study in Sri Ramaswamy Memorial University (SRM). Many more scholarship opportunities have been made available by the school in the 2015/16 academic session.

Also, “Krupanidhi College, Bangalore, is offering scholarships that cover courses in the para-medical, accounting, management and computer sciences in the 2015/16 academic session to all eligible Nigerians who apply to study in the college through Edusoft Associates.

“Foreign education need not be as pricey for Nigerian students as it is currently made to be. With the volatile exchange rate and the cloudy economic outlook for this year, it is imperative that decisions on studying abroad should be taken carefully, keeping in mind financial sustainability of such programmes,” added Prasad.

On some of the basic requirements for those interested in taking up the offers, he said English, is the medium of instruction and this stands Nigerians in good stead since the language is taught and commonly spoken in Nigeria.

Admission criteria, he added, are based on results of Nigerian school leaving certificates; entrance examinations and foundation courses are not required for a bachelor’s programme.

Prasad stressed that Indian universities offer excellent platforms for the pursuit of knowledge and skills that are affordable to those Nigerians that feel excluded from more expensive courses in the West.

He also said that Nigerians desirous of studying any course of their choice, be it in the engineering field, medical sciences or business could apply and if deemed qualified, would be offered admission.

He, however, cautioned prospective students that successful completion of a professional course in India requires hard work on the part of the students hence the need for unserious characters to keep away.

“What we avail our clients are seamless admission processes and integration into universities of their choices. EduSoft Associates is connected to a wide network of leading universities and colleges, and this network of schools is made available to our clients in the area of selection, choice of course and preferred institution,” he said.

In addition, Edusoft also avails deserving students part-fellowships in India. Such students can benefit from a number of opportunities ranging from lower fees to scholarships, just as its link to a network of leading universities in India makes it possible for the company to offer Nigerians benefits such as scholarships and psychometrics test.

“A good number of Indian varsities come highly recommended and the quality of their delivery ranked on the same level with education in Western Europe and the United States. In terms of research and patents, Indian universities have been ranked highly particularly in the development of products and services that serve the peculiar needs of developing countries, such as Nigeria.

“Apart from lower tuition fees, the cost of living in India is also low. This combination is why education in India is most affordable compared to other countries. Moreover, Nigerians will find India is like a second home because of the shared heritage and language that exist between India and Nigeria,” he stated.