The brightest move out

Updated on: Thursday, June 09, 2011

Now that they have completed school, a sizeable chunk of the city's brightest students would prefer to say goodbye and move on to campuses outside Bengal. They feel that barring just a couple of undergraduate colleges in Kolkata, the state lacks educational institutions worth writing home about.

While quite a few have secured admission in foreign universities, many others are seeking admission in Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Pune.

The only campuses in Kolkata that find favour with these students are Jadavpur University, Presidency University, St Xavier's College and Loreto College. TOI spoke to students of at least 10 schools and found that as soon as the lists are out at St Xavier's, June 9 onwards, the exodus will start, especially in commerce. School authorities say that this is a growing trend.

At least 25% students of La Martiniere for Boys, St James School, Loreto House, Birla High for Boys and Girls and Lakshmipat Singhania have taken the Scholastic Aptitude Test, and are seeking admission in the US. Many have bagged seats in Singapore, which is turning out to be a hot favourite because of its proximity and comparatively lower tuition fees compared with colleges in UK and US.

At least half of the students who have passed Plus II from La Martiniere for Boys are leaving the state, 15% of them are going abroad to study languages and technology. "A large number of my boys will be leaving the city to study in St Stephen's, Sriram, Kirorimal and Hindu. They have already secured admission. Earlier the trend was to leave home only after completing graduation, now teenagers are looking for specialised campuses outside the state immediately after school," said Sunirmal Chakraborthi, principal of LMB. Apart from these colleges in Delhi, the other favourites are Symbiosis and Fergusson in Pune, Christ Church College in Bangalore and several tech schools in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

"This year nine of our students have got into the IITs. Our better science students have all secured good ranks in AIEEE and got admission in institutions like BITS Pilani. There are quite a few who have been able to crack the prestigious PMT — the admission test to medical colleges in Delhi, Vellore and Pondicherry. Only a handful might stay back to study here," said Mukta Nain, principal of BHS.

Ayush Popat of BHS is off to Singapore. "A sea change has happened in the education scene outside but in Kolkata, apart from exceptions like St Xavier's and Presidency, follow the same old teachinglearning and grading patterns. I am headed for Singapore because I will get all the facilities that a campus in the US offers its students at a cheaper rate,"Popat said.

Engineering and medicine are not the only choices for students who have studied science in Plus II. Many of them have cleared the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) to enter the seven law schools of the country, one of which is the National University of Juridical Sciences in Kolkata. There are exceptions, however. Siddhant Agarwal, one of the CLAT toppers, wishes to study Economics honours at St Xavier's. If he fails to get a seat, he will leave Bengal to study law.

"I have been attesting papers for my boys and girls and I know that only a handful will stay back to study in this city. Though some prefer Presidency, I am told since it is yet to frame new rules, so students do not wish to be caught in a warp," said Meena Kak, principal of Lakshmipat Singhania Academy.

Neerja Poddar, a student of Loreto House, is seeking admission in St Stephen's College, but she will also sit for the English admission tests at Jadavpur University and Presidency.

Times of India

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