Follow the jump links to learn more about India.
Lifestyle and Family Living
Teen Life
Dress and Appearance
Diet and Meals
Educational System
Geography and Climate
Population
Language
Government
Religion
Spending Money
Safety and Support
Fun Facts Lifestyle and Family Living
Most families are big and several generations live together. The house is rarely empty. Family loyalty is very important.
Parents provide everything for children, and families are the focal point of Indian existence. The schooling, subjects, college, even marriage is often decided by parents. It is not coercion, just an accepted way of life that parents know best and they decide for the child/young adult.
Sons are generally pampered and spoiled. Most are not asked to do house chores. But in modern, urban families, girls and boys are treated equally and have the same privileges and sometimes even boys are expected to help at home.
Education in urban India is very, very important.
India is still a rather hierarchical society. Small towns in the north and central parts may still have a rather feudal culture. Young people have great respect for age and elders, and to show respect, they may often touch feet of the elders so as to seek their blessings.
The age-old system of Master-Student (Guru-Shishya; teacher-taught) continues and teachers occupy a very high and dignified place in society.
There are seldom problems with discipline and gang-like or vandal culture is not seen in schools and colleges.
Within families or with friends Indians share everything, including the food on their plates or in their tiffin/lunch boxes. The concept of yours and mine is not so pronounced as in the West.
Also, Indians do not say please and thank very often. Within families it is almost insulting to say thank you often, as Indians consider this understood within families. Even outside families, please and thank you are not used frequently.
The concept of “peace and quiet” is almost non-existent in urban India. There is always a myriad of noises, traffic, people, vendors/sellers, loudspeakers (places of worship or politicians), children playing, etc. People sometimes even talk over each other.
It is generally considered impolite or rude to say ‘no’ directly or to decline an invitation (even if you know you cannot accept). In cultures that are more straightforward this can lead to confusion.
On the other hand, it is also considered impolite to appear greedy or desirous of something. So when offered a cup of tea or a spontaneous ‘gift’, normally an Indian will say: oh no thank you! The formality of offering is usually repeated at least three times before a person will say yes, if at all. Often the tea is simply served.
On occasions where wrapped gifts are given to someone, it is considered polite to accept the gift with a thank you, but not to open the gift then and there in front of the giver.
Time is cyclical in India. The Indian concept of the meaning and relevance of time is different. Many Indians also believe in re-birth, so this time on earth is put in that perspective.
Indian Standard Time (IST) is 5 and ½ hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time which is jokingly referred to as Indian Stretchable Time! Indians are not known for punctuality.
Indian host families, like all AFS host families worldwide, are volunteers and are not paid. They open their homes to students in order to share their community and culture as well as to enrich their own family lives.Teen Life
Young people are respectful of elders and teachers and there are very few discipline problems. Teens seek guidance and permission from parents and elders.
Generally, they also share most things with their parents and do not hide things. They may discuss and disagree but in the end they accept and go by their parent’s decision in most matters.
Dating is very unusual and discussing sexual matters is taboo. Physical contact or hugging is uncommon, except within the family.
It is unacceptable to smoke and do drugs.
Girls are generally more tidy and mature. Boys are pampered and used to being fussed over by mothers, sisters, and later, wives.
Usually Indian teenagers know how to make-do with less.Dress and Appearance
Dressing should be conservative. No short, transparent clothes should be worn as they attract undue attention.Diet and Meals
Usually Indians eat with their right hand. The left is considered unclean. At most it is used to hold a glass of water if one is eating with the right. The left hand is usually kept under the table. Also, people usually receive things with the right hand; using the left hand to take and give things is considered rude.
Many Indians are vegetarian and they do not consider this a dietary restriction. But generally it can be said that even if a person is not a vegetarian, if he/she is a Hindu then no beef will be eaten; if a Muslim, then no pork.
Many Muslims who are non-vegetarian and eat many sorts of meat/poultry/ fish will only eat Halal (a method of slaughter, like Kosher). They may opt to be vegetarian in countries/cultures/families where it is not possible for them to get Halal.
Indian food tends to be spicy, pungent, oily, and often deep-fried.
Usually the main staple of the meal is a variety of freshly made hot breads or rice. This is supplemented with a small portion of vegetables, pulses or a meat dish. Pickles and chips are often eaten. Dessert or sweet dishes are not served daily.
Meat is only an additive portion of a meal, not the main portion. So even those who eat meat are used to eating a lot of vegetable dishes plus the staple of bread and rice.
Indians love to eat anywhere, any time and meals are a family affair or a time for socializing. Parents expect their children at the dinner table to tell them about the day’s experiences.Educational System
To get a seat in good schools, colleges and universities (almost all are government run or supervised) is very difficult as many candidates apply. The competition is tremendous.
Only very exceptional students will have marks 90% and above. One cannot compare the marking system in India to that of USA or Europe. Other AFS Partner Countries may find these grades or percentages low, as compared with their countries schools. A population of 1 billion means that the competition for school seats, university, seats and jobs is huge.
It is very common that Indian students in primary and secondary schools (and in preparation for Exams) go to tutors for extra help. This does not mean that the student is weak in studies; even top students go for tutorials. Usually school is half to two-thirds of a day and in the evening students go to tutorials.
Schools sessions are mostly April to March in north/central and west India and June to May in south and east India.
In grades 11 and 12, called Higher Secondary, one chooses a stream: science; humanities or commerce. At the end of grade 12 is a final Board Exam too. A student’s entire future depends on marks obtained. The first 11 years marks do not add up to the final year. A very demanding, nerve-racking and often traumatic 12th Board Exam (as it can make or break) decides one’s future, especially for those who wish to pursue science (medicine, engineering, architecture, etc) later in college or at university.
A common uniform is worn.
What are called “public schools” in India are actually private schools. Many parents choose to send their children to these “public” schools, as the level of instruction and the facilities at these are better. Government-run schools are modest and the level of instruction is usually quite poor.
The students are expected to obey the teachers and school authority at all times. Arguing with teachers would lead to suspension of the student.
Fees range from free primary education in village India to anything from $10 to $1000 plus per year, depending on the city and type of school.
With the exception of foreign languages, School may be taught in a local language, depending on where you are placed. In the beginning, you may find it hard to follow, but as you learn more of the language, school will become less challenging, so be patient, work hard, and keep at it!
While it may be possible to obtain academic credit for the coursework you successfully complete abroad, AFS cannot guarantee this. Please discuss your plans with your school before you go abroad.
Geography and Climate
India is the seventh largest country in the world with an area of 3.29 million sq. km.
India is bounded to the southwest by the Arabian Sea, to the southeast by the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean to the south. Along its northeastern frontier are the Himalayas, which form India’s geographic boundary with the People’s Republic of China, Bhutan and Nepal.
The Ganges is the longest river in India. Along its western frontier is the Thar Desert, which is the seventh-largest in the world. The terrain varies from the Himalayas to flat river valleys. The climate is Alpine to temperate to subtropical monsoon.
Population
The population is 1.1 billion people and it is the second most populated country in the world.
Language
Hindi 41%, Bengali 8.1%, Telugu 7.2%, Marathi 7%, Tamil 5.9%, Urdu 5%, Gujarati 4.5%, Kannada 3.7%, Malayalam 3.2%, Oriya 3.2%, Punjabi 2.8%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.2%, other 5.9%.
English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 41% of the people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language.
Government
Federal republic. According to its Constitution, India is a “sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic.” Like the United States, India has a federal form of government. However, the central government in India has greater power in relation to its states, and has adopted a British-style parliamentary system.
Religion
Religion usually plays an important role in families, who perform some sort of worship daily at home.
Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.1%
Religion, caste, and language are major determinants of social and political organization in India today. The government has recognized 18 official languages; Hindi, the national language, is the most widely spoken, and English is a national lingua franca.
82% of its people are Hindu; India also is the home of more than 138 million Muslims—one of the world’s largest Muslim populations. The population also includes Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, and Parsis.
The Hindu caste system reflects Indian occupational and socially defined hierarchies. Ancient Sanskrit sources divide society into four major categories, priests (Brahmin), warriors (Kshatriya), traders (Vaishya) and farmers/laborers (Shudra). Although these categories are understood throughout India, they describe reality only in the most general terms. They omit, for example, the tribes and those once known as “untouchables.” In reality, Indian society is divided into thousands of jatis—local, endogamous groups based on occupation—and organized hierarchically according to complex ideas of purity and pollution.
Despite economic modernization and laws countering discrimination against the lower end of the caste structure and outlawing “untouchability,” the caste system remains an important source of social identification and a potent factor in the political life of the country.
In the countryside, expanding education, land reform and economic opportunity through access to information, communication, transport, and credit have lessened the harshest elements of the caste system.
Spending Money
The rupee is the official currency in India.
Your program and country information packet (provided in the months prior to your departure) will give you an idea of how much spending money is appropriate and whether you should arrive with any amount of the local currency in hand.
Host families pay only for ordinary family events in which you are expected to participate. When you do such things as shopping for yourself or going out with friends, the expenses are your responsibility. Depending on the cost of living in your host country, we recommend you budget about $100-$300 per month.
Remember: never travel with large amounts of cash. Instead, bring travelers checks or follow the advice in the country and program information packet. Another option for obtaining money while overseas is to use a debit card linked to a checking account back home (but try not to use a debit card for daily purchases since there are ATM and currency exchange fees). Or, you can transfer money using wiring services such as Western Union.
You and your parents should determine a budget and preferred money transfer plan before you depart so that you are not caught without spending money while abroad.
Be conscientious of your spending since conspicuous consumption may not be viewed favorably and spending more than your peers and family may create a distance between you and them.
Safety and Support
AFS has the utmost concern for the welfare, safety, and security of our participants. We’ve been exchanging participants throughout the world for 60 years—that’s six decades of history and experience in international education with an exemplary record of safety, security, and service.
AFS maintains a network of experienced staff and trained volunteers who provide support in each country. In the event of an emergency, 24-hour assistance is available to students, their parents, and the host families. Furthermore, your AFS tuition includes comprehensive medical insurance coverage to ensure that medical care is available to our participants anywhere in the world and at all times.
While we have the above support structures in place, we also encourage you to take responsibility for your own safety and we give you the guidance to do so. Many of the AFS orientation activities, both at home and abroad, are intended to give you the tools to stay safe. We also provide country-specific safety tips to each participant prior to departure.
Learn more about the AFS safety and support network.
Fun Facts
- Aryabhatta was the scientist who invented the digit zero, though the concept of zero has a complicated history that spans several countries.
- The precursors of chess originated in India during the Gupta empire.
- Snakes and Ladders originated in India as a game based on morality called Vaikuntapaali or Paramapada Sopanam (the ladder to salvation).
- India has the most post offices in the world.
- The largest employer in the world is the Indian railway system, employing over a million people.
