A UK campus representative (right) explains course features to visitors at the exhibition. Picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

Calcutta is much more varied in its choices and very educated in its inquiries.

That?s the verdict from representatives of universities who were in town for the UK education fair. Bandh or no bandh, the steady stream of students and parents poured in and out of the exhibition, held at ITC Sonar Bangla on November 22 and 23.

There were over 60 participating institutions, which dropped in at Delhi before making their way to Calcutta. The common comment about the two cities was that while there were more students in the Capital, it was all about MBA, management and making money. Here, however, there?s environmental studies and biomedical sciences, law and archaeology. And of course, engineering, medicine, finance, communication and IT.

While 781 visitors went to the exhibition on Monday, over 1,100 made their way there on Day II. ?They were told that Calcutta would be quiet after Delhi, but most of the representatives are very pleased about the good response,? said Marina Gandhi, head, education UK, east India. ?That was a pleasant surprise,? added Chris Langdon, data control officer, Universities & College Admissions Service (UCAS).

?We have quite a few students from Calcutta itself, studying at our university, and the best thing about them is the diversity in terms of courses,? said Ursula Henry, deputy director, University of Liverpool.

A sentiment that Edmund Cannon of the University of Bristol heartily shared. ?We are probably one of the very few institutions that don?t offer MBAs. In Delhi, we had to keep telling them that. Here, however, the students are carefully reading the booklets to see exactly who is offering what, and then coming to us with specific questions about subjects we offer, like law.?

Don Barry, senior tutor at the business school of Cardiff University, has been coming to Calcutta for over a decade, about four times a year. And his observation is that each time, the students are a little more aware, a bit more focussed. So he?s not really surprised with the eager reception.

?I heard there was a strike of some sort, so perhaps that?s why the numbers aren?t so great today. I am sure there will be more students tomorrow,? he said on Monday.