Joint celebration of ‘Indian Technical & Economic Cooperation Day and ‘International Students Day’

Saturday, 22 March 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The annual get-together of the ITEC alumni and Sri Lankan students who studied in India as well as Sri Lanka under various scholarship schemes of the Government of India was held on Wednesday, 19 March, 2014, at Taj Samudra. Minister of Higher Education S.B. Dissanayake graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. About 300 alumni of Indian educational and training institutions, coming from various parts of Sri Lanka, attended the reception. Speaking at the occasion, Minister Dissanayake, lauded Maulana Azad’s leading role in laying the foundation of India´s schools and higher education system, including the renowned institutions of national importance such as the Indian Institutes of Technology. Minister Dissanayake appreciated India´s valuable scholarship assistance for Sri Lankan nationals and acknowledged that these educational and technical scholarships helped bridge the gap between demand and supply for such programs in Sri Lanka, as well as in meeting the increasing aspirations of the people. In his welcome address, High Commissioner Y.K. Sinha, thanked the Minister for gracing the function and appreciated the large turnout of participants who had come from all over Sri Lanka. He noted that India-Sri Lanka cooperation in the field of education had a long history. At present, India offered more than 270 scholarships to Sri Lanka students to study in India and 500 scholarships under the CEWET and the Mahatma Gandhi scheme for students studying in Sri Lanka. The High Commissioner conveyed that ITEC, initiated in 1964 as India’s bilateral program of assistance, was being constantly re-designed and refocused, based on the evolving needs of India’s partners, including Sri Lanka. He added that Sri Lanka was the one of topmost partner countries of ITEC, with 190 senior Sri Lankan state sector officials going to India annually for training in over 100 Courses. The High Commissioner also highlighted that education was also an important sector of the India-Sri Lanka development partnership. Several Sri Lankan alumni shared their experiences of studying and participating in training programs in prestigious institutions in India, recollecting their warm memories, appreciating their useful experience and conveying the manner in which the exposure had helped them in their professional roles and duties in their country. The ITEC program was launched nearly 50 years ago, in the early 1960s, as India’s bilateral program of assistance in the field of human resource development. Sri Lanka is one of the most important partner countries for the ITEC and the Colombo Plan scholarship programs. A 190 training slots are allocated annually for capacity-building and training in diverse areas like IT, English language, management, rural development, finance, mass communication, remote sensing, etc. The entire cost of travel, training and stay is borne by the Government of India, along with payment of a living allowance of INR 25,000 per month, book allowance of INR 5,000, study tours including visit to places of historical importance and medical facilities. International Students’ Day is observed every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first Education Minister of Independent India and Founder President of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR). Nearly 270 scholarships and self-finance slots are offered each year to Sri Lankan students for higher studies in India. The main categories under which the scholarships are offered are: 1. The Nehru Memorial Scholarship Scheme: 120 ICCR scholarships are offered annually under this program for higher studies in India. Students can pursue undergraduate courses in all disciplines including engineering, science, business, economics, commerce, humanities and arts. 2. The Rajiv Gandhi Scholarship Scheme: This scheme has been initiated from 2012-13, to provide 25 ICCR scholarships every year for ‘Bachelor of Engineering’ courses in IT, in some of the top-ranked institutes in India 3. The Maulana Azad Scholarship Scheme: This scheme has been added from the academic year 2012-13 wherein 50 ICCR scholarships are provided annually for Masters Degrees. This program is expected to assist researchers including scholars employed in Sri Lankan Universities to pursue Masters degrees in some world class Universities in India. Preference is given to agriculture, science and engineering. 4. The AYUSH scholarships: About 10 scholarships are offered every year for study in the field of ayurveda, homeopathy, siddha and unani leading to undergraduate, masters and research degrees. 5. The SAARC, IOR-ARC and Commonwealth Scholarship Scheme (ICCR): Under the SAARC scheme, one fellowship and two scholarships are offered by ICCR every year at the doctoral and post-graduate level respectively. Under IOR-ARC, two slots are on offer for masters degrees. A limited number of scholarships are also awarded under the Commonwealth Scholarship/Fellowship plan. For all the three schemes, studies/research in all areas can be conducted. 6. The ICCR Undergraduate Scholarship for Music, Dancing, Painting: Up to 10 undergraduate scholarships are offered every year to pursue courses in Dancing, Music and Painting by the ICCR. 7. Subsidised Self Financed Slots (Engineering, Medicine etc.): The Government of India has reserved up to 40 seats, of which four to five slots are for medicine, for Sri Lankan students in some of the most reputed government institutions. Courses offered under this scheme are Undergraduate courses in Medicine (MBBS), Pharmacy (B. Pharm.) and Engineering (B.E/ B.Tech). Fees for Medicine and Pharmacy courses are subsidised and is usually less than $ 1,000 per year, while for Engineering courses it ranges from $ 3,000 to $ 7,000 per year. 8. The Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship: The Government of India offers 150 scholarships to meritorious Sri Lankan students, six from each of the 25 districts. Students are chosen, in consultation with the Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka, on the basis of their performance in the GCE ‘O’ Level examination and on merit-cum-means criteria. Selected scholars receive financial assistance of Rs. 48,000 over a period of two years to complete their Advance Level studies. 9. Scholarship for Children of Estate Workers: 350 scholarships are offered annually to children of estate workers to pursue their ‘A’ level and Undergraduate studies. Applications are invited every year from the students in the Month of April and May. Selected students are provided a monthly stipend for a period ranging from 2-5 years, till they complete their studies. For more details on the scholarship programs and other educational assistance, please visit the High Commission of India’s website http://www.hcicolombo.org and for more information on the ITEC please visit http://itec.nic.in.