India is the second-largest education network in the world after China, with around 950 universities and 45,000 colleges. The Indian Higher Education system is known for its quality of education and affordability, especially in the engineering and technology disciplines. Indian institutes offer equally competitive non-STEM disciplines such as commerce, business management, humanities, arts, social affairs, and allied medical sciences, and are as popular as STEM courses.
The higher education system in India is a complex construct where change is constant. Many developments to the system with the growing global trends; and a building expanse of institutions ensures necessary revisions and upgrades to make for exciting courses and specializations offered in Indian institutes. Students can choose from a diverse range of courses at India’s many institutes.
India India’s institutes mainly comprise of universities and colleges, further characterised as Central universities, State universities, private universities, deemed universities, public colleges, private colleges, and autonomous colleges. India is also home to prestigious institutes recognised as Institutes of National Importance (INI) and Institutes of Eminence (IoE). Distance learning and open education are also features of the Indian higher education system and are looked after by the Distance Education Council.
The Study in India program has partnered with more than 100 premier Indian institutes, including 10 state universities, 20 deemed universities, 40 Institutes of National Importance, 5 Institutes of Eminence, and many top colleges. Most Indian institutes offer education for the following program level:
Undergraduate / Bachelor’s Level
The undergraduate course or the Bachelor’s degree is obtained after three years of study in the case of arts (B.A), science (B.Sc), and commerce (B.Com). UG courses in professional disciplines such as Engineering (B.E, B.Tech), Dentistry (M.D), and Pharmacy (B.Pharma) range from four to five years. Students should have usually completed 10+2 years of schooling for being eligible to pursue an undergraduate course.
Postgraduate / Master’s Level
Postgraduate courses across most STEM and non-STEM disciplines are essentially for two years. A Master’s program can be pursued only after completion of a bachelor’s degree.
Doctoral Studies / Ph.D. Level
M.Phil. programs take about 18 months to two years to complete. Ph.D. programs, on the other hand, are for a minimum of 3 years and can take several years. These courses involve research work under an allotted guide, leading to thesis submissions.
Certificate & Diploma Programs
Several diploma, certificate, and short-course programs are also available in universities and colleges. The extensive range covers anything from poetics to computers. The duration varies from course to course and program to program, usually ranging from a few months to three years.