Nepali students seem to be more concentrated to India Himalayan News ServiceMahendranagar, April 11From time immemorial, Benaras was the major study-centre for students from the middle and eastern Nepal. But, these days, Kumaun University of Uttaranchal is becoming popular as the centre for students from the far-western and mid-western regions of Nepal.Students studying at different colleges affiliated to the Kumaun University, coming from areas including Karnali, Seti, Bheri, and Mahakali are increasing every year. Though it is separated by the Mahakali River, and due to good cultural and linguistic relations at ground level with the neighbouring country India, more students prefer going there rather than to other regions of Nepal. As the exams of matriculation to degree level are taking place at present, the lodges and hotels of Khatima, Nainital, Deharadun, Pithouragarh, Dharchula, Baluwakot, Jouljivi, Jhuladhour and other such areas are filled with Nepali students. Elite class students gather at the Kumaun University for higher studies on technical courses such as Agriculture, Sciences, Geography and Water Resources etc. Students of average and lower class families are gaining higher studies in Art, Economics, Sociology, Management, Humanities, Communication, Geography, History, Sanskrit and other languages. Lila Kunwar, a student studying at Pithouragarh says, “In Nepal, the exam and study schedules are often delayed and also frequent strikes are hampering regular classes, that’s why I have chosen to come here to study.” She has been studying there for the last seven years. She claims that her monthly expenses are very nominal, not exceeding Rs 2,000.Pithouragarh, Khatima and Nainital are the most easily accessible places and the first choice of residents from the far-western region of Nepal, who intend to receive higher education at the minimum price. It is more expensive to study in Kathmandu and other places in Nepal. Not only regular students, but also civil servants, teachers and pensioners also sit for the exams conducted by the Kumaun University, causing the cities near the border to become quite crowded.In these Indian towns, Nepali youths seem to be studying in greater numbers than Indian students. Male and female examinees are also found to be equal in number. “As the university is appropriate for private examinees and also for service holders, I am appearing for the exam,” said Dayakrishna Pant, an employee at the district public health office Darchula. As soon as the exam begins here at the University, the students at colleges of Nepal eventually decrease. This is due to the fact that most of the students appear for this exam.The parents of the students residing in the far-western region prefer their children to study at Nainital, Garhwal, Deharadun and Pithouragarh, because of its traditionally related cultural ties with Kumaun and Garhwal.Not only bachelors and degree level exams, but also class 10 and intermediate level exams conducted by the Uttaranchal University has made easier for private students to pass the exam across the border, rather in Nepal.