Stories
Smart Strategies to Fund Higher Education and Manage Costs
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CNBC TV18•10-10-2026, 13:46
Smart Strategies to Fund Higher Education and Manage Costs
- •Compare education loan interest rates with potential returns on savings and investments before borrowing.
- •Examine moratorium periods, repayment tenures, total interest payable, and processing charges when choosing a loan.
- •Evaluate programme fees against realistic starting salaries to understand the true cost recovery period.
- •Students in non-premier colleges often struggle to secure research grants due to funding structures prioritizing institutional credentials.
- •Early-stage research funding should provide access to mentors, facilities, and modest budgets for testing ideas without commercial pressure.
Key Questions Answered
Nalin Saluja suggests that borrowing at around 10% interest or lower can make sense if personal investments generate comparable returns, while 12% is considered an upper limit beyond which using savings is more attractive.
Borrowers should carefully check the moratorium period, repayment tenure, total interest payable, processing charges, prepayment conditions, and collateral or co-borrower requirements.
Students at Tier-2, Tier-3, and non-premier colleges often struggle because existing funding structures tend to prioritize institutional credentials over the actual merit of a project.
