Living

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India: Living

Communities of Expatriates

The Number of Expatriates: There are 20,000 to 30,000 expatriates working in India and their number is growing, especially in the technology sector.
Blogs For Expats: AlloExpat.com
British Expat
Expat Blog
Expat Exchange
For Further Information: InternationalLiving.com
Incredible India
Immigration Authority: Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
Transportation Companies For Moving/Removals: International moving

Ranking of Cities

Cost of Living: Mumbai is by far the most expensive city in India (82th out 209) while New Delhi (130th), Chennai (158th) and Bangalore (180th) are among the cheapest in the world according to Mercer Index 2016.
Quality of Life: Most Indian cities are ranked poorly in terms of quality of living. Hyderabad offers the best quality of living according to Mercer's 2017 Quality of Living Survey (144th out of 231) while New Delhi is the 161st out of 231.
Sanitary Conditions: Indian cities score relatively poorly for health and sanitation. Delhi is considered as the most polluted city in the world after Mexico City.
For Further Information: Quality of Living Worldwide City Rankings –Survey - Mercer
Cost of Living Worldwide City Rankings –Survey - Mercer

Renting an Apartment

Description of apartments: BHK (Bedroom, Hall and Kitchen): it is preceded by the number of bed rooms:1 BHK = apartment with 1 bedroom, 1 living hall, attached with a kitchen.

Most apartments come with bathrooms & toilets and possibly a store-room.
Normal Lease Term: Varies from city to city; 6 months to 3 years.
Rental Costs: The security deposit varies from 3 -12 month’s rental, recoverable at the end of the lease period. Guarantee by a third party is not always necessary; can be negotiated with the landlord.
Agencies or Private Rentals: There are specialized rental agencies for the foreign communities. They offer rental conditions adapted to the needs of expatriates (rental for a shorter time, furnished apartments, and inclusion of electricity in the rent) and their fees are normally less expensive.

Private rentals are available in big cities.
Other Possibilities For Accommodation: Private houses called ‘bungalows’ are available, but rentals are high.

The Ministry of Tourism has recently allowed households to rent out 1-2 rooms to tourists – called ‘bed & breakfast’ scheme.
For Further Information: Real-estate portal in India: India Property
Real-estate portal in India: India Housing

School System

School Level

Education at school level in India is divided into Elementary (for 6-11 years old children) and Secondary (for 14-18 years old children) education systems.

Goa's educational standards are among the highest of the country

For more details, visit:
National Council of Educational Research & Training –NCERT;
Central Board of Secondary Education.

International Schools

There are a large number of international schools in all major cities, which follow the British educational systems with high fees.

The website Directory of International Schools provides a list of international schools in India.

For Further Information

Ministry of Education
Educational Consultants India Ltd.
Study Abroad

Health System

Quality of Healthcare: There are State operated hospitals in all towns and cities and private consultants and specialists in urban areas. But health-care facilities in the country are limited and travelers are strongly advised to take out full comprehensive medical insurance and bring specific medicines along with them.
International Hospitals: International hospitals are not allowed to operate directly in India, but some of the private hospitals have tied up with international hospitals for technology and services transfer. Some of the hospitals of international standard operating in India are:
Apollo Hospitals;
Wockhardt Hospitals.

For more details, visit: Mediescapes.com.
Health Insurance: Yes
Accessibility of the Health Insurance Network to Foreigners: Limited to those who have been working in the country for a very long time. However international health insurance will provide foreigners coverage while traveling or living in India.
Health Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Tourism and Culture

Different Forms of Tourism

Historical: India is home to the Taj Mahal, which is situated in Agra close to New Delhi. There are many sites from the Mughal period in the north of India.
Goa is a former Portuguese enclave on the Western coast, which gained its tourist reputation in the 60s, at the height of the hippy period.
Cultural: Various fairs and festivals are held at different times of the year. Some examples include Pushkar fair, Taj Mahotsav, and Suraj Kund mela.
India is known for its traditional textiles and handicrafts.
Nature: India has a rich forest cover with a divertisty of wildlife in places like Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary, Keoladeo Ghana National Park, and Corbett National Park.

For ecotourism in India, tourists can go to places such as Kaziranga National Park, Gir National Park, and Kanha National Park.
Religious: India has many sites of Hindu and Muslim worship that attract religious tourism.

Varanasi (formerly Benaras) is located on the banks of river Ganges considered holy by the Hindus. New Delhi has Muslim and sufi sites, like the Nizzamudin Dargha.
Beach: Variety of beaches : Goa, Kovalam, Puri, Mahabalipuram, and Andaman and Nicobar.
Winter Sports: Winter sports in India include skiing, heli-skiing, mountaineering, ice climbing etc.
Outdoor Activities: Camel safaris, rock climbing and trekking depending on the region

For trekking: Ladakh, Sikkim, and Himalaya.
For skiing: Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir
Tourists flock to Uttranchal, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh for whitewater rafting.

Top Highlights in the Main Cities
Rashtrapati Bhawan
India Gate
Akshardham Temple (Delhi)
Qutub Minar
Red Fort
Parliament House
Bahá'í House of Worship (Lotus Temple)

Top Highlights of the Country
Taj Mahal, Agra
Beaches, Goa
Backwaters, Kerala
Golden Temple, Amritsar
City Palace & Hawa Mahal, Jaipur
Qutub Minar, Delhi
Dal Lake, Kashmir

Tourism Organisations: Ministry of Tourism
Dehli Tourism
Tour India
India.Org
Cultural Organizations: Ministry of Culture
For Further Information: India Travel Forum
Lonely Planet

Individual and Civic Freedoms

Political Freedom: People of India enjoy considerable political freedom and rights.
Civil Liberty: 4/7
: World Ranking of Freedom of the Press According to "Reporters sans Frontières", 2021 report : 142/180
Free Access to the Internet: Unrestricted
Rule of Law: Guaranteed
Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: Generally widespread. The Constitution of India prohibits discrimination based on race, creed, sex, religion and social status.
Women's Condition: Women in India have legal equality. Constitutional and legal safeguards for women and all policy matters affecting the status of women and their empowerment are monitored by The National Commission for Women.

Religion

Degree of Freedom: The right to practice one’s religion freely is constitutionally guaranteed and generally respected.
Beliefs: Hindu 79.8%, Muslim 14.2%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.7%, other and unspecified 2% (2011 est.)
Role of Religion in Society: Majority of the Indians agree that religion plays a key role in their lives. Indians are generally tolerant of other religions and retain a secular outlook.

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