Viral Video: An American woman who has been resident in India for the last four years has initiated an online debate after posting a detailed comparison outlining the difference in cost of education between India and America. Kristen Fischer, who often posts on the social media site Instagram, posted a video where she wondered why many people dispute that education is much cheaper in India.
In the video, Fischer described how, while median salaries vary greatly, roughly ₹3.3 lakh yearly in India compared to ₹41 lakh in the United States, the comparison of income to tuition emphasizes India's affordability. Indian public college tuition generally runs between ₹10,000 and ₹50,000 per year, merely 3–15% of the typical Indian salary. Compare this to the U.S., where public colleges may cost ₹10–26 lakh annually, representing 23–63% of income, leaving many Americans no choice but to take student loans to pay for school.
"Education is just crazy expensive in America. That’s why most people can’t afford to pay for college on their own and have to take out loans. Looking at these two numbers, it's easy to see that education really is lower cost in India," she concluded.
Not only this, in the caption of the video, she explained more about why India education is more affordable. "The cost of a college education in America has gotten out of hand recently. It is nearly impossible to go through college without a loan anymore. India makes education more affordable, and therefore, more accessible to people in India. You may think college is expensive in India. But trust me, it is worse in the USA," she wrote.
Netizens reaction
The video went viral on social media and gathered 3,062 likes and more than 47k views. Any Indians filled the comment section with their positive comments.
One user wrote, "It actually depends on the type of college and what course you are going for in India what the tuition fees will be for college, 10-50k a year is usually when you go to college in your own city and you save on rent cost of moving to other city is not included."
Another user commented, "You’re are absolutely right. I wish you guys good health, happiness and prosperity… I love the way you portray our country. I pray that you guys don’t face any problems here. I noticed the cute chain and the locket much and good wishes to you and your lovely family."
