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The million-dollar dream...
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While the million-dollar dream remains an alluring incentive down the generations as thousands flock to foreign shores for higher studies year by year, the dollars are no longer strictly American. ANJANA RAJAN finds out whatmakes Canada an attractive destination for students from India.
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WAY BACK in the 1960s, a young Indian in his 20s made his way to the U.S., desperately seeking a new life. There, despite his educational qualifications and army background, he had to do menial jobs such as shovelling snow in the winter to make his ends meet. Eventually working his way up the job market, he entered the corporate world and finally emigrated to Canada. There, raising a family as he rose in the ranks, he would often boast to friends and relations in the U.S how Canadian cities were far more aesthetic and better equipped than American ones, and retired many years later as a high ranking official of an international airline.
The dream of a new and more prosperous life remains a motivating factor for thousands of young people in India, and - despite the progress being made in educational opportunities within the country - the lure of a foreign education is still strong among the more prosperous segments of society. Another thing that has not changed is Canada's status as the number one country to live in - even according to the United Nations, which for seven consecutive years ranked it as such.
One significant change, however, is that the means to achieving the Canadian dream have become more organised and accessible. For young Delhiites aspiring to pursue higher studies in Canada, possibly the most reliable source of information and assistance is the Canadian Education Centre in Vasant Vihar.
"The Canadian Education Centre India was opened in June 1997 by the Government of Canada," says Hazel Siromani, director of the centre. "Equipped with a resource centre stocked with brochures and calendars from Canadian University, colleges, university colleges and technical institutes, it provides information to Indian students wishing to study in Canada."
Many of these are headed for undergraduate or postgraduate studies, while some apply for postgraduate courses. Most are keen on computer science, business, and engineering. "Other programs that are becoming more and more popular are media and communications, economics, animation, journalism, hospitality and tourism," says Hazel, adding, "Canada is committed to providing a superior quality of education and spends more money per capita on education than any other country in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development - OECD. All Canadian post-secondary institutions are publicly-funded, ensuring the highest quality and consistency of education."
Areas in which Canadian institutions score high include software development, telecommunications, aerospace engineering, automobile engineering, biotechnology, mining technology and environmental industry. While 18 of the top 40 electrical engineering faculties in North America ranked in the Gourman Report are in Canada, Hazel points out that it is a world leader in animation as well. She illustrates her point by naming the likes of Dennis Turner, Steve Williams, and James Strauss - associated with visually impressive films such as "Congo", "Star Trek", "Twister", "Jurassic Park", "Forrest Gump", "The Flintstones", and "Jumanji" - who have graduated from Canadian colleges.
The centre has a panel of experts who provide personalised counselling about admission requirements and application procedures in Canadian institutes as well as opportunities and facilities. Other practical services provided include invigilation of exams for Canadian institutions and attestation of documents. An important activity is the series of Education Fairs in Delhi and other cities, where students can meet representatives of various Canadian institutes. Regular seminars and school visits help to spread awareness.
Once accepted in a Canadian educational institute - though the centre functions independently of the High Commission's immigration section - the students are also counselled on acquiring a student visa, and receive pre-departure orientation.
Often the dream of going abroad is mingled with working there and eventually acquiring citizenship. But as these are specifically different procedures, Hazel remarks, "Students are always advised to be clear in their intention for going to Canada. If they are going for education then they take the student route, and if they have long term plans of making Canada their home then they should apply for immigration."
While the Canadian Education Centre need not be the only route to study in Canada - there are innumerable agencies of varying reputations offering guaranteed placement - Hazel is emphatic in stating that her office "does not have any kind formal working relationship with agents. We do not endorse or recommend agents. If any agent or a Canadian institution is interested, they directly get in touch with each other."
With a very low rate of inflation as compared to other industrialised nations and dream infrastructure, Canada's aesthetic urban vistas and rural landscapes are inviting indeed. Interested? You need not cross the sweltering city to reach the centre. Anyone capable of planning a journey across the seven seas can afford to surf the Internet first, and the website to look for is www.studycanada.ca/India.
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