• India targets 80 percent literacy by 2012
• 'Education Superpower-India' to showcase Prized Schools & Colleges at Bangkok

• Indian students' new education hub - China
• Kalam wants one village, one product

China is becoming a higher education hub for Indian students. More and more young men and women from India are braving the bone-chilling temperatures as well as language and food hassles to study in Chinese universities. Diplomats say that easy admission systems, affordable fees and high standards of facilities are the chief attractions for Indian students, who now number more than 6,000 all over China. The dominant choice of Indians is medicine. Chinese language also draws many. Clearly, Indian students are enjoying it in China. "My (Chinese) teachers and fellow students have been very welcoming," said Jyoti Bhattacharya, 23, from New Delhi who studies at the Beijing Language and Culture University. Bhattacharya admitted that she was very apprehensive when she arrived in September 2007. "But it has been a very smooth journey, very helpful," Bhattacharya said. "We have been treated very well." "While I could have studied Chinese even in India, the exposure there was not good. Here you are speaking and hearing the language all the time. It makes a big difference. And I want to make a career," Jyoti said. According to Indians, the average tuition fee in a Chinese medical university is $2,000-$3,000. Another $1,000 is needed for board and lodging. This is a fourth of what one would spend in India. Indian students scoring 70 percent marks and above in their own universities are the most sought after. But Indians returning home are expected to pass the Indian Medical Council test. According to Indian Ambassador Nirupama Rao, Indian students find China "cheaper possibly than any other country" when it comes to education. "Chinese institutions of learning have also been very active in promoting themselves in India," she said in an interview at her office. The one area of concern for most Indians is cuisine. Bhattacharya, who is on a 10-month language course, admitted: "I am missing my family in Delhi. And frankly, I am very much missing Indian food." In the circumstances, any Indian student who has culinary skills or has a relative or friend willing to serve Indian food to hungry young women and men is arguably the most popular in the community.

Courtesy: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, January 29, 2008

Back to Index

Government is targeting 80 percent literacy by 2012, against the present 65.38 percent, with a whopping Rs.850 billion ($21 billion) earmarked for education during the 11th Five Year Plan. "We have already committed for complete literacy by 2015," said A.K. Rath, the secretary, secondary education and literacy, in the human resources development ministry. Officials said the money earmarked towards education during the 11th plan was five times the budgeted allocation from the previous five-year plan budget. The bulk of it is for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the ministry's flagship programme. The ministry said it was committed to promoting elementary education across the country and there was no need for any external support. However, the government is open to public-private-partnership in secondary schools, officials said. "If private concerns are interested to contribute their share in building the infrastructure for secondary school education, we can definitely move ahead with this plan," said Rath. He claimed that the dropout rates had also come down and that the government was committed to enhancing the reach of the SSA. "We are short of teachers for the programme. We are stressing on quality, equity in the ongoing 11th plan. We are looking at improving basic learning for students, computers, and infrastructure in schools and improve teaching standards. In regards to the recommendations of the National Knowledge Commission set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh under technocrat Sam Pitroda, the ministry did not appear convinced, and officials said, it had left many officials baffled. Pitroda's Knowledge Commission had suggested an independent regulator for the education sector and had pointed fingers at the functioning of the University Grants Commission, the HRD Ministry and some technical institutions. It had, accordingly, suggested reforms and drastic cut in their jurisdiction, even as it wanted radical changes in system of higher and vocational education. Sukhdeo Thorat, chairman of the University Grants Commission, which oversees the functioning and grant of funds to universities across the country, said it was not possible to have a uniform calendar for universities in the country. "There will be some delay in the sessions of universities," said Thorat, when asked to respond on growing discontent among students who sometimes lose an entire year while getting admitted to higher courses in other universities.

Courtesy: www.freshnews.in, January 29, 2008

Back to Index

Former president A P J Abdul Kalam on Saturday egged IITians to develop 'entrepreneurship in villages' in the country. In a nutshell, his message was 'one village, one product' __a product developed by villagers in rural India and marketed globally by IIT alumni. Speaking at the 'Entrepreneurship Mentoring Programme' in the city, a Times of India initiative with PAN IIT, the alumni organisation of IITians, Kalam said all IITians should adopt one village each and help converting ordinary people into best of entrepreneurs. His speech was webcast for youngsters at 15 other cities in the country. In the city, a hundred aspiring entrepreneurs participated while a record 1,020 students took part across other centres with a total of 150 mentors. "One village, one product should be the motto of PAN IIT. All the members of PAN IIT should be focused on providing training for rural and semi-urban students to develop employable skills. These skills will in turn produce globally marketable products," the former missile scientist said. With this initiative, the villages would become self-sufficient thereby speeding up national development, he said, explaining his dream of seeing a developed India. Dwelling on education and motivation of students, the former president, who has turned a teacher now, said there should be private participation in the education sector as more competition would result in quality education. Kalam also interacted with young entrepreneurs, answering questions on development, entrepreneurship and education. Answering a query from a 'mentee' from Delhi, Harsha Deep Malhhotra, on whether big entrepreneurs should be concentrating on investing in the city or the village, the former president said their focus should be on an underdeveloped village rather than a developed city. Agreeing to a suggestion of one of the participants to introduce mentoring programmes in villages, Kalam said the PAN IIT should work out this strategy and make sure that there should be active participation of IIT professionals in rural areas. The PAN IITians said the meet was the fulfilment of a promise made in 2006 to Kalam that there would be a meet on entrepreneurship development in the country. "We have kept our promise and on the 59th Republic Day we have 1,020 entrepreneurs marching past you," PAN IIT member, and the chairman of Cyber Media, Pradeep Gupta said. The meet was conducted in collaboration with The Indus Entrepreneurs (Tie) and also National Entrepreneurship Network (NEN).

Courtesy: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, January 27, 2008

Back to Index

Education Exhibition

In a world that can well be called a 'global village,' parents in Thailand are waking up to the harsh realities that only youngsters with an 'international mindset & inter-cultural awareness,' will get ahead in future! Yet, hunting out a good school for one's child, that actually churns out 'global citizens,' is not such an easy task. Most parents experience frustration on discovering that foreign institutions offering quality education are often unaffordable & those that come cheap are just not worth it! An exception to this rule however can be found in India, where world renowned international, quality education is being offered by institutions at reasonable & affordable rates! The good news for parents & students is that they need not travel all the way to India, to know more about rising 'education superpower-India's' legendary education system, it's international schools & prestigious colleges. Instead, come January 26 th & 27th and some of India's finest educational institutions offering primary secondary, college & university education, will present themselves at Bangkok for the purpose. Titled as the 4th IIPSE (India International Premier Schools Exhibition) catering essentially to parents of school kids & IEF (International Education Fair) targeting students between 18years to 25years, these will assist visitors to make informed academic decisions. Here, people will be able to judge for themselves, why multinational companies across the globe are vying for Indian educated students & even relocating their Research & Development wings to India. The answer is simple! India's huge investments in the education sector that started the 'knowledge revolution ' has finally paid dividends. It's results being that today, students educated in India have proved themselves to be intellectually superior, computer savvy, fluent in English & more diligent compared to others. The exhibitions to be held simultaneously at 'Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, on these days, between 10: 00a.m to 7:00p.m, hopes to extend the same educational benefits to Thai students. Their main goal will be to ensure direct, transparent & productive interaction between the local student-parent community & participating universities, colleges & schools, with regard to global & Indian education. The event will be organized by 'Afairs' India's leading education fair organizers with over 14 years of rich experience, in association with Starcraft Exhibition. The initiative will be supported by TCEB(Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau).

Courtesy: www.thaindian.com, January 10, 2008

Back to Index