This is 2016 but women in India don’t generally shake hands. Dating is uncustomary. Females of this country are traditional and may refuse politely if asked out for a film.
According to a Times of India report, an updated version of the traveller’s guide and the scholar’s manual released by ICCR aims to give a glimpse into India’s traditions and values, along with tips on what to expect while living in the country.
“Educated women have cast aside many customary inhibitions and have come forward in many ways in the past few decades. They will talk to the student when he is introduced to them. The modern Indian woman is traditional in some ways. She may refuse politely if a man asks her out for a film or an outing. Dating is not common in India,” the handbook says. It also says “women do not generally shake hands” in India.
There are some handy tips for hostel life. International students are advised not to choose rooms next to bathrooms or under the roof. “Rooms are allotted on a first-come-first-served basis and there is a shortage of rooms in most Indian universities.It is better to avoid getting a room near bathrooms or right under the roof (as it can get very hot in the summers).” It adds that life in an Indian hostel could be tough.
“Sometimes, in case of some hostels, limited hours of water supply and frequent power cuts make a stay in an Indian hostel quite a challenge.” A reference book that is supposed to bare India’s soul has details of the country’s rivers and seasons, it colleges and admission processes, apart from how the nation behaves.
“Indians are generally friendly and informal. Many of them may not wait to be introduced in order to talk to the student. In buses and trains, he may find people eager to talk.” International guests have also been warned about train and bus travel.
The handbook clarifies that accommodation in big cities is as tough for an Indian as it is for foreigners, and that it shouldn’t be taken a sign of ‘unfriendliness’.
The manual also describes what to expect during interactions with people in the country. “Indians are generally friendly and informal. Many of them may not wait to be introduced in order to talk to the student. In buses and trains, you may find people eager to talk.”
A special advisory for train and bus travel has also been included, “A student need not be surprised should he find that the “first-come-first-served” rule is not being strictly followed, as the habit of forming a queue is not yet fully developed in all places.”
The ICCR aims at strengthening India’s cultural relations with other countries and also organises study tours, introductory courses and summer camps for international students.
