UGC chairman to head committee on retaining students in India: MHRD

NEW DELHI: Government of India has decided to form a committee to address concerns of students who had plans to study abroad, and for those who have returned without completing their programme, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Union Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD), Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ today held a meeting of heads or various regulatory bodies for “Stay in India and Study in India”, addressing the needs of students aspiring to go abroad and addressing concerns of students returning from abroad.

During the meeting, the officials discussed initiatives to retain aspiring students by providing appropriate opportunities for education in premier Indian institutions and supporting those who have come back to complete their programme

A committee headed by the Chairman of the UGC (University Grants Commission) has been formed for preparing the guidelines and measures to ensure more and more students stay in India and study in India. The committee will submit its report in a fortnight time.

Union Minister for HRD Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ said that during the year 2019 around 7 lakh 50 thousand students travelled abroad to pursue their studies and because of this valuable foreign exchange moved out of India as well as many bright students.

He added that because of COVID-19 situation many students who wanted to pursue studies abroad have decided to stay back in India and pursue their studies within India. Pokhriyal emphasized that the Ministry of HRD should make all efforts to look into the needs of both categories of students.

Stay in India and Study in India committee

The committee will prepare guidelines and measures to ensure that more and more students stay in India and come out with a mechanism for increasing intake in well-performing universities. As per a statement issued by the Ministry, “It will also explore mechanisms for starting Multi-disciplinary and innovative programs, twinning and joint degree programs, cross Country designing of centres, facilitating online lectures by eminent faculty abroad, the linkage between academia and industry, facilitate Joint degree ventures and lateral entry to Indian Higher Education Institutions.”

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) Chairman will oversee the issues related to technical institutions and separate sub-committees consisting of Directors of IIT, NIT, IIIT, CoA and Vice Chancellors of Central Universities will be created who will assist Chairman UGC and Chairman AICTE.

AICTE Chairman Anil Sahasrabudhe informed that the AICTE will come out with a white paper soon regarding measures to be taken after studying the entire scenario.

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• COVID-19: UGC organises support for students dealing with stress

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