New Delhi, Jan. 8 -- When Shashank Nambiar began thinking seriously about pursuing a master's degree abroad, the financial math looked very different from what his peers faced just a few years ago.

Nambiar, 28, an engineer with over five years of experience in automation, motion control and robotic dynamics, discovered his academic focus during an industrial robotics role in his second year of engineering. Now on a career break, he is applying for the Fall 2026 master's intake across Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.

"Five years ago, many of my friends went for their master's in the US when the exchange rate was around Rs.70 to a dollar. Today, it's significantly higher. Inflation has hit both India and the US, ...