Rushabh R Mehta, a freelance consultant features prominently in an article that appeared in leading newspaper Mumbai Mirror on the growing trend of American and other international students outsourcing their assignments to specialists in India. Rushabh is the son of Shilpa and Rajesh Dhudalal Mehta.

The article, entitled “American Homework, Made in India”, discusses what it describes as a “flourishing gig economy”. It says, 

“Scattered around the country, these writers are part of a growing gig economy where Indian freelancers help complete the homework assignments of foreign students for varying sums of money… The lucrative opportunity has come about because college and university students abroad often to balance work and studies, leaving them with little time to complete assignments, the writers say.”

Rushabh was one of the consultants from this field interviewed for the article. A freelance Education Consultant & Mentor, Writer and Travel Blogger, who earlier worked in the diamond and jewellery industry also, Rushabh described his work and how he is different from others in the field. 

“Mumbai-based Rushabh Mehta, an education consultant and writer, says he never accepts jobs where the entire assignment is outsourced since he considers that to be unethical. ‘It happens a lot, and everyone knows it’s happening, including the universities. So, they use certain kinds of software, which will scan the project and alert them to plagiarised content, even if it’s only a sentence,’ Mehta says. ‘I only mentor clients on how to write their papers, essays or dissertations, and them do the final proofing and editing.’ 

“Mehta adds that about 90 percent of his clients are international students from US, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and China.

“Budget plays a big role in the business. ‘Indians provide the best value for money,’ says Mehta. ‘There are freelance writers in Vietnam and Bangladesh as well, but you can't be assured of the quality. In India, it's sometimes touch-and-go; two out of ten writers would do a good job, and there are many websites that cater to students with a small budget. But a student trying to get into an Ivy League college, will not think twice about spending US$ 500 on a statement of purpose.’ Mehta says that his students have managed to get admission into schools like Harvard and Duke in the US, the Parisian business school HEC; and other top colleges in the US, Europe and Canada.”