HRD Ministry sets up committee to ensure more students stay in India for higher studies

New Delhi [India], July 24 (ANI): The Ministry of Human Resources and Development (MHRD) on Friday set up a committee under Prof DP Singh, Chairman of UGC, to prepare guidelines and measures to ensure that more students stay in India to study and come out with a mechanism to increase intake in well-performing universities.
The committee will submit a report on this subject within a fortnight.
"Mechanisms will be explored 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 HRD ministry said in a statement.
Union Minister for HRD Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' held a brainstorming session regarding "Stay in India and Study in India" with senior officials and Heads of Autonomous/Technical Organisations concerned of MHRD in New Delhi on Friday.
While giving his opening remarks, Pokhriyal said that because of COVID-19, many students who wanted to pursue studies abroad have decided to stay back in India and pursue their studies here. He said that there is also a rising number of Indian students returning to the country with a concern about the completion of their studies.
He further emphasised that the HRD Ministry should make all efforts to look into the needs of both these categories of students. He said that this situation is presenting two critical issues of concern -- addressing the students' needs who aspire to go abroad and the concerns of students who are returning from abroad. Initiatives are needed to retain the students by providing appropriate education in Indian premier institutions.
"Supporting these students to complete their program, these issues require a thorough understanding of their present and future educational requirements and career plans which need to be addressed appropriately with timely interventions. Each of the above situations presents different sets of prospects and challenges," he added.
Pokhriyal also said that during 2019, around 7,50,000 students travelled abroad to pursue their studies. He said that we should make all efforts to help bright students to pursue their education in India.
Also, as per this government's manifesto, we have to increase seat capacity by 50 per cent in all premier institutions by 2024 and also Institutes of Eminence should be increased to 50 by the same year. (ANI)