Why are so many indian people engineers?

Question

First off this isnt a racist or stereotypical question. It is what i see everyday and i was just seeking an honest answer.

I go to san jose state university and i major in electrical engineering. In my classes about 50%+ of the students are indian and the third floor of the engineering building (which holds the computer and electrical engineering departments) is full of indian people. I was just wondering if its a set career indian parents want their children to have. I say this because all vietnamese parents (I am vietnamese) want their kids to be doctors.

Answer 1

Thanks for asking the question. It is a curiousity and not to do anything with race.

Before 1963 Indians were alloud to come to US for study only.
Then JFK and Nehru agreed to let Indians migrate to US only if
they had education. This opened door for many engineers,doctors ,accountants to migrate to Us.
But MOst Indidns came in 70's as students( 90 % engineers)
and later settled here.

In India , since the independance, education was promoted by
the Govt with scholarships to deserving middle class and poor students.

In the times of moon mission US needed more engineers so they allowed migration of engineers. In turn students learned about opportunities in engineering in the US. More students went into engineering .

Engineering generaly puts you atleast in middle class even in US. Go for it.

Answer 2

It may just seem that so many Indians are engineers, but maybe you're looking at this from the wrong angle. Did you consider that there's an incentive for Indians to come to SJSU? Is there a large Indian student body in the first place (which makes fitting in easier)? Does your geographic area have a lot of Indians? I went to Mississippi State University, and yes, there were a lot of Indian engineering students. But a lot of them said that MSU has a great engineering program and really cheap tuition. Can't beat that.

Anyway, assuming none of that has anything to do with the statistics, it very well could be a cultural thing. I know as a Chinese American the older generations who surrounded me pushed their kids toward medical or pharmaceutical careers. My perception is that for one, medicine has been the proverbial cream of the crop career choice in the US, and since the Chinese tend to place top priority on respect and prestige, it's no surprise they push for it. Second, it's a well-paying job, and if most Chinese are like my mom, they place financial security up there too.

So, ANYWAY, I just wish parents in general would stop trying to live through their kids AND stop nagging them about what career path is best. We know what we want, and since it's our lives, we need to be sure we're happy. For those who are sorely disappointed that little Johnny didn't become a brain surgeon, I say they should've gone after that themselves.

Answer 3

SJSU is in the San Francisco Bay Area, so the demographics are going to be high in foreign born students. However, if you are indeed an engineering student, I am surprised that you would make such a conclusion based on one university. If you understand your statistics, then the population at one school is not a sufficient sampling to conclude a trend.

Answer 4

Engineers and the Indian race date back to the time of the first railroads; in a similar fashion, you almost never see a Samoan in the caboose.

Answer 5

Weird how that happens, huh? India seems to have produced a high number of famous physicists and mathematicians as well. I think there's a strong cultural tie there, that the Indian culture seems to encourage their children to be interested in mathematical subjects, just as you say, vietnamese culture seems to encourage interest in medicine.
Just a guess, though...

Answer 6

Quite a few companies in the US are exporting engineering jobs to India. Big Business want inexpensive labor paid with US tax dollars . So you allow foreign students in the country- Along with liberals favoring foreign students. You have the answer....

Answer 7

It's b/c Indian parents expect their children to major in medicine, science, and engineering/technology. I changed my major from engineering to accounting and my mother still hasn't forgiven me. :*(

J/K lololololol

Basically, these fields provide great opportunities for obtaining jobs (especially immediatley upon graduation) and acquiring wealth in the near future (by the time the kid is in his/her early 20s) - the liberal or social sciences, i.e. music, art, history, etc. just don't provide good job prospects.

Answer 8

nicely for my area, you would be an fool to circulate to places like Afghanistan and Iraq at this evaluate time... those persons are paid hansomely reason its with the understand-how that there is probability, so if this indian guy understood the hazards and went besides, then nicely, too undesirable, it grew to become into his decision -

Answer 9

Education is important in India. US schools are accredited in the US. Better paying jobs in the US.

Answer 10

could be what both parents want or they all just want to do it on their own so each of them can better their selves and be somebody so don't think i'm showing racism here because i'm not i get along with everybody and anybody