PHOTO: hindustantimes
Starting 2017, Indian institutes of technology (IITs) will open entrance tests to students of eight foreign countries – including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Dubai – for undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
The decision was taken at a meeting between the human resource development (HRD) and the external affairs (MEA) ministries.
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Speaking about the initiative a senior HRD ministry official said: “This is the first time we have planned to admit foreign students by holding tests abroad. To begin with, we will admit students from the JEE/GATE exams to be conducted in 2017.”
Until now, entrance tests that took place abroad were held only to admit Indian nationals in 18 IITs.
The students will be selected through a common entrance exam that will be administered by the IITs with the help of Indian missions in the above mentioned countries. However, seats offered to foreign nationals will be additional in nature to ensure there is no decrease in seats for Indian students.
The fee paid by foreign students will be higher compared to the subsidised fee for Indian students.
The Indian government is keen on more foreign students studying at IITs to boost the international academic rankings of the institutions.
Further, to facilitate these foreign students, the MEA will consider giving them research visa for the duration of the programme rather than one year at a time.
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The tests are scheduled for 2017; however, the outreach programme for the exercise will begin from August this year.
This article originally appeared on Hindustantimes.
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