Future proofed
College education in India is a serious investment for all stakeholders. The 2017 Value of Education report by an HSBC survey, which focused on 8,481 parents across 15 countries, found that Indian parents spent a hefty $18,909 (over Rs 12 lakh) towards their children's school and college education in tuition fees, books and transport. For a country with a per capita annual income of Rs 1,03,219, that's significant. According to National Sample Survey 2014, private (out-of-pocket) expenditure on education for general courses increased from Rs 2,461 per student in 2007-08 to Rs 6,788 per student in 2014 (a 175.8 per cent rise). As many as 44.81 million-16.6 per cent male and 9.5 per cent female-Indian undergraduate students are too poor to pursue higher education.
It's not difficult, then, to understand why aspiring students and parents seek out the best institutes. Which is also a prime driving force behind India Today Group's annual college survey-to help students decide on the best colleges.
The process began in 1997 and, over
