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IIT Kharagpur is launching a full scholarship program for SAARC nationals. The program will be open for full-time students across all levels of study undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral studies in SAARC countries outside India regardless of whether their home institution has an MoU with IIT Kharagpur. The Institute is focusing on students from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The Institute will be reaching out to universities and embassies of these countries as well as through the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India, this month opening up the enrolment for 2019 including summer and winter terms.
The first batch of the program will be open for 10 students with funding from US-based alumnus and petrochemical industrialist Dr. Asoke Dey Sarkar. The first edition named the Asoke Dey Sarkar International Program or ADSIP will provide funding for their airfare, tuition fee, living expenses, local transport as well as medical insurance. Download program information.
India is keen to promote cooperation in research and education with South Asian nations. As a premier technological university of the country, IIT Kharagpur intends to carry that mandate forward. Engaging with SAARC universities is a declared priority of IIT Kharagpur.
“SAARC nations share a common heritage. We also share a common future and a common vision of prosperity. There are some excellent educational institutions in our neighbouring countries with students who are comparable to the best in the world. We would like to know how they are gearing up to face the new challenges, what new things they are learning, what solutions they are coming up with. In the process, if we can present to them what is best in us, and create a lifelong bond of friendship, it will be a win-win for all,”
– remarked Prof. Baidurya Bhattacharya, Dean, International Relations at IIT Kharagpur.
The students will be required to explore the courses and research areas and identify the experts at IIT Kharagpur as mentors. In addition to a formal application, the students will be required to appear for a video interview. IIT Kharagpur will provide a transcript of the academic work to every visiting student along with the syllabus and pedagogical details. Based on these the home institutions may accept those credits.
The courses would encompass all areas of engineering and technology, biosciences, social sciences, economics, management, law. Students can also work on research projects including collaborative research with international partners of IIT Kharagpur. It will include trending areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, rewater research, climate change, quality and reliability, high-speed and intelligent transportation, smart infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, affordable healthcare, clean energy, the science of happiness etc.
“The strongest and most durable academic cooperation gets built when students visit each other and lay the foundation of a lasting partnership. ADSIP is the first serious attempt by an IIT to promote an all-around student-centric partnership with Institutions in our neighbouring countries,”
added Prof. Bhattacharya. The Institute will encourage other alumni to follow the lead of Dr. Deysarkar in addition to seeking funding from the government.