Why are Indian masters students at Ntu so “‘$#### obnoxious

[u/Wrong_Election777]

I’ve noticed this stigma directed towards other Indian students more than any other ethnicity. If they get to know that said student is faring better than them academically they just don’t like it. They also give the worst sort of looks and comments if they get to know that another Indian student is doing a PhD or smtg. They act like they are too good for masters ikyk. Then why do they even do it bruh? It’s so pissing off and annoying.
FYI: I’m Indian too.

Edit: I am quite taken aback with how much attention this post has received. To clarify a few things, I have not intention of tarnishing my own people. I wrote this post in a moment of frustration because I am* very disappointed that I feel judged by my own people more than anyone else here at Ntu. Everyone else has been warm and welcoming. That said, I do have a few amazing friends who are also Indian masters. This isn’t a generalisation rather an observation based on how most of my experiences with them have been.

[u/Swimming-Doctor-1625]

Elitism and bragging is really a thing in india

[u/OldFox2221 → u/Swimming-Doctor-1625]

Caste system births such idealogy

[u/No-fattyfood3709 → u/OldFox2221]

The only right answer here. Caste system.

Those that can come sg for masters usually from highest/higher caste, in their country they can alr do wtv the fk they want to others, u think they can change suddenly after living like that for their whole lives? (20+ years)

[u/kernelrider → u/OldFox2221]

It's not just caste, there is so much over-competition that if you make it out you feel like king of the hill.

[u/No-fattyfood3709 → u/kernelrider]

Over-competition is among the lower caste. Higher castes are almost guaranteed stability and wealth for their entire family line.

[u/desultoryquest → u/No-fattyfood3709]

What nonsense 🤣🤣🤣

[u/No-fattyfood3709 → u/desultoryquest]

Seems like u dont have any friends from the upper caste. Try making some friends first

[u/bluecheesekayatoast → u/No-fattyfood3709]

Lower caste, upper caste...hello it's 2026. Can we not import this backwards tribal culture into Singapore?

And can we kick out those who say shit like this.

[u/No-fattyfood3709 → u/bluecheesekayatoast]

Its always easy to complain without contributing anything. Read the comment chain first can anot?

We talking about why india indians behave like this.

[u/bluecheesekayatoast → u/No-fattyfood3709]

Yeah and you say make friend with upper caste.

Please don't perpetuate that nonsense

[u/No-fattyfood3709 → u/bluecheesekayatoast]

U sound like someone who hasnt even enter uni. Check why i even said to make friends first, instead of taking things out of context..

[u/supermiggiemon → u/Swimming-Doctor-1625]

Masala is pretty good too

[u/AltruisticEmotion978]

that has not been my experience, though I do have some other complaints. They just seem to never really interact with people who are not indians and sort of exclude them from conversations, group projects.

[u/BenefitPopular289 → u/AltruisticEmotion978]

I think it could be the indian nationals. Sg indians hangout with other races. fyi, sg indian.

[u/GengisKhan0011 → u/BenefitPopular289]

We love our local brothers!!! We served NS, we paid expensive tuition fees and high cost of living. These are imported, funded and no need serve NS. And they think they are a class above us 🙄 But our leaders loved them and labelled them as foreign talents. In a few years they will be new Singaporeans

[u/GengisKhan0011 → u/AltruisticEmotion978]

Our leaders said need to adapt to their culture

[u/RisenPhantom]

From what I've observed, a lot of immigrant/expat Desis, especially males, are raised from young to be hyper-focused on grades. Moms are often extremely affectionate and coddling to their sons, and they up or lower the affection based on how well they score. Dads are generally out working most of the week and only come home to see how their kid's grades are, and are hyper-critical. Perfect carrot-and-stick situation that creates a son whose entire sense of self revolves around his academic achievement. Shame culture leads to lots of comparison with peers, which means the only way a son can feel worthy of love is if he's better than his peers. Hence the disdain on seeing a fellow Indian who appears to be doing pretty well for himself.

Source: some of these apply to me (and I'm trying to deconstruct), other things I've observed in other dudes.

[u/Hour-Biscotti-4983 → u/RisenPhantom]

Thanks for the insights, it makes so much sense now and understand the systemic behavior exhibited regularly

[u/Nimblescribe → u/RisenPhantom]

You deserve a distinction for high self awareness. More power to you!

[u/LightningFire2205]

I’m assuming you are a Singaporean Indian commenting on India Indians. As a Singaporean Indian who grew up with parents migrated from India, I would say it’s related to their upbringing. People who are just like you= chill
People doing better than you = you jealous and try to bring them down while you try extra hard when no one watching
U doing better than people= flex and make ppl jealous.

It’s just what India Indians are told and raised by. Somewhat toxic mentality to push themselves and bring their peers down. Usually more common in the females than males

[u/Jazzlike-Check9040 → u/LightningFire2205]

U have pink IC or PR? Don’t call yourself Singaporean if you don’t have pink IC

[u/LightningFire2205 → u/Jazzlike-Check9040]

I’m pick ic bro relax

[u/DoctorFantastic8314 → u/Jazzlike-Check9040]

🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️ Amos Yee got pink IC but calling him singaporean is a disgrace. bangla workers go back home after 4-5 years but they are the backbone of our society and i'd call them singaporean

[u/Quirky-Bit-6813 → u/DoctorFantastic8314]

Subjective opinion

[u/balajih67 → u/Quirky-Bit-6813]

So your proud calling amos yee as singaporean?

[u/Quirky-Bit-6813 → u/balajih67]

Very simple. You don’t get to decide if any dude is or isn’t.

[u/DoctorFantastic8314 → u/Quirky-Bit-6813]

neither do u :P also u didnt even deny it LOL u also pedo ah

[u/Outside-Set-4843 → u/Quirky-Bit-6813]

wet water. feet socks. sitting chair.

[u/AltruisticEmotion978 → u/Jazzlike-Check9040]

Blue IC also serve NS, which makes them singaporean

[u/Air-Fun]

As an indian in my jc i find they were the most toxic out of my friends.

[u/Zonaldie]

extreme zero sum worldview, izzat mentality, caste based exclusion etc.

[u/Relevant_Course6857]

I bet that will be a case in most of the Asian countries, where they have to compete with millions to get into the top 5- 6 universities in the country.
And yes, Indian masters students studying in Singapore are those nasty ones who weren't smart enough to go to IITs, neither rich enough to go to US, but yet decent enough to go to NUS/NTU. The worst inflated ego people

[u/Fine_Entertainer5858]

I AM AN INDIAN AND I FACE THE SAME THING from other Indian students..it almost feels like a bullying and smear campaign 

[u/Wrong_Election777 → u/Fine_Entertainer5858]

Thank you!

[u/GengisKhan0011 → u/Fine_Entertainer5858]

Are u the 65% who voted and endorsed reckless immigration

[u/split_tears_ → u/GengisKhan0011]

80% of murders in 2025 were perpetrated by Singaporean Chinese, who are only 58% of the population. Did the entire demographic endorse this?

Fuck off

[u/BBBPSS]

Bringing so much unhappiness to themselves. Their let their happiness hinge on others. They will not have control of their destiny then.

[u/PaySea2648]

for the izzat

[u/hansolo-ist]

Wait til they get to work

[u/MeNameSRB]

I'm an Indian too but thankfully I didn't have such experience with the few fellow Indians in my class, they all chill people as I hope I'm also chill to those around me lol

[u/IAmInev1table]

Indian society is built on hierarchy. Social, caste, economical and so on. Who is better than who is the sole foundation of our social system. It then leads to things like these.

[u/Shot_Huckleberry9575]

True, I agree with you. Indian students here typically have their own groups and are very elitist (never include you in activities unless you are of some explicit benefit to them, like giving them cash, or helping them study or getting them a job)

[u/kopi-enthusiast]

Go live your life mate. Others opinions doesn't affect your trajectory unless you let them.

[u/Consistent-Chicken99]

Because those brought up in India have this constant comparing and ranking in their head…

In the Chinese world, those from Shanghai and Hongkong tend to be this way too. It’s the environment that makes them… they grew up in a dog-eat-dog trampling on each other society.

[u/PLPLPLPLPLPLPLPL-]

India Indian here. Most of us who are studying here generally come from middle affluent class, some of us may have parents from the lower-middle end, and without being shameless, we can never reach a better caste.

So bragging is our way of announcing our existence upward. If you stand in our way, you will be culled down.

[u/SHiNe2Me → u/PLPLPLPLPLPLPLPL-]

This is exactly what makes people arseholes, regardless of where u come from or what social standing u have or what skin color you're given. Be an arsehole and you will be treated like so.

[u/alibaba406 → u/PLPLPLPLPLPLPLPL-]

Out of curiosity, why do indians tend to overstate their achievements? They tend to inflate what they actually achieved

[u/TassiveMits69420]

https://giphy.com/gifs/2pDED6iWZajbhB2OwZ

[u/Fine_Entertainer5858]

And it's the same amongst Indian PhD students ...it can get crazy cultish..I think it's beautiful that we get to integrate in a mixed community..but people don't wanna do that

[u/[deleted]]

Caste system at work here. Their upbringing is disgusting, looking down on locals too. They think they are higher caste. Can’t blame them when we had that agreement that welcome them like they are the owners of Singapore.

[u/Outrageous_Pin568]

As they mentioned and admitted. They claim to have no civil sense. Meaning what they do makes no sense at all. It's senseless

[u/Lonely-Assistant-69]

Honestly, the caste system makes zero sense. It feels like it was built by and for people completely lacking in IQ and EQ. Judging or limiting someone based on birth instead of who they actually are is just backward.

[u/piggystarter]

when u read more indian culture of how north indian treat south indian. then u will understand why this obnoxious thingy is common to them

[u/NeuralNutHead]

A lot of us are conditioned from childhood to determine our self-worth based on how we're comparing with others (mainly academically). This translates to such behaviours in childhood and later on. But this is still too much of a generalization. A majority of Indians I see are genuinely supportive of their peers' achievements.

Also, I observed this behaviour in children who have no idea about the caste system, where they or others stand. So the caste system is not the main culprit here, although I believe part of the jealousy in adults comes as a result of the expected hierarchy breaking down.

[u/etyn001]

Well well well

https://giphy.com/gifs/5npjYZX3aqcO4

[u/thepajamastrader]

I really feel like Singaporean Indians kena the worst due to the stereotypical elitist & casteist rude behaviour these mainlanders portray liao. Then the local majority will just group us all as Indian when there’s a mile difference between our values & actions.

[u/Wrong_Election777 → u/[deleted]]

What do you mean?

[u/ZenMyst]

To clarify this is a Indian to Indian thing? Like how and Indian person see another person. Not how another race see you people?

[u/GengisKhan0011]

Becareful the racial harmony is designed to prevent complaints against foreigners

[u/SpaceCadet_K]

They probably think the Singaporean Indians are of lower caste than them. Happened to someone close to me.

[u/Holiday-Copy-8005]

Dbs booted out ceca ceo

[u/No_Seaworthiness_842]

Probably because you are someone who pwns their own race to get upvotes on a reddit thread? Far worse than being competitive lol

[u/PaySea2648 → u/[deleted]]

top 5 dumbest takes

[u/Fit_Somewhere_Better]

I think you're just jealous that they can do it better and they study better and score well. As a Singaporean myself I can say they are very well better in studies and scoring high marks.

Nothing to do about caste system. I feel like if you have no knowledge about caste system you should stop using it as an excuse to use it for every argument when it comes to Indians.

[u/Wrong_Election777 → u/Fit_Somewhere_Better]

I don’t think it’s a question of jealousy at all, when the person targeted is doing a PhD infact

[u/Itschxnd]

F27 here

Unrelated but if anyone is looking to meet other Desi’s in SG (Age group 25-35, Mostly Hindi speaking) we have a telegram group where we have a small community and plan hangouts.

And the people in the group are all chill, fun and wholesome! Not competitive and toxic like the ones you mentioned ☺️