BENGALURU: It is no surprise that Bengaluru, being the IT capital of the country, also has a booming education sector. Experts often point out that the two are inseparable from the other.
Bengaluru’s fame as an education hub, drawing students from far and wide, was recently cemented when it ranked top among Indian cities in the latest QS rankings, pipping Mumbai and Delhi for the top spot with a worldwide ranking of 81.
But while the ranking might have counted factors like the mix of students, university rankings and affordability among others, QS also made a note of Bengaluru’s unique amalgamation of being a technology exporter, a hotspot for start-ups, and home to a number of highly reputed research institutions including the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the IIM-Bangalore.
There are many more premier institutes that dot the city’s localities. The National Law School of India - University as well as other top engineering, medical and general colleges. This kind of diversity is a rare feat, experts say. “The IISc campus today has become a mini India, a hub of Indian education and research, with students from all over the country engaged in research. Much of this has happened in the last decade,” said Manu R, an Information Scientist and a Technical Officer at the Office of Communication at IISc.
“IISc has been around since 1909 and also caused many industries to come up in Bengaluru. The Mysore Soap Factory, HAL, NAL, ISRO, BHEL and others make use of the expertise available here,” he said, pointing to the symbiosis that exists and sets Bengaluru apart from other metropolitan hubs in India.
Seconding his observation, the Registrar of Christ University, Anil Pinto, pointed out that the city had a history as a city of science and has always witnessed a healthy demand for professional courses like engineering and medical courses. But over the past few years, Pinto said, there was a shift towards basic sciences and general studies, with a lot of students from other southern states and recently, from West Bengal, evincing interest in visiting and studying in the city.
Besides, the city’s renowned weather, it’s IT ecosystem and the brand value as the IT capital of India, help draw in more students with each passing year. “The cosmopolitan culture of Bengaluru is friendly and welcoming. Foreign students too feel more secure,” Pinto said.