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| | The US, for the first time in 57 years, wants the Indian government to fund scholars selected from the country for the prestigious Fulbright programme. It’s an indicator of India’s growing affluence that the US feels it no longer needs to fund the scholars.
“Circumstances were different when the programme began in 1950. Now India can afford to pay,” said Thomas Farrell, deputy assistant secretary of state for academic programmes.
The Fulbright programme is a bilateral scholar exchange exercise that has so far had 34 Nobel and 60 Pulitzer Prize winners among its ranks. Every year, about 120 scholars from India head to the US, while an equal number of Americans come to India through the programme.
“We are looking at amending the Fulbright agreement to involve greater participation of the Indian government and the private sector. Scholars can be supported with scholarships, internships and mentoring programmes at business houses,” said Karen Hughes, US Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.
Hughes, who was in Mumbai with a delegation of six university presidents to discuss ‘Public Private Partnerships in Higher Education’, said the arrangement would also mean more participants in the programme.
The US spends $2.5 million (Rs 11 crore) on the scholars every year. Larry Schwartz, public affairs officer at the US embassy in Delhi, said they would ask India to shell out the same amount, which would enable the number of scholars to be doubled to 240.
Private entities already fund the Fulbright programme in Croatia, Japan and Germany. "We want to see India move up among the top 10 countries that US students opt for," said Farrell, adding: "India does not market itself as a higher education destination. China is doing a good job of it."
Email author: snehal.rebello@hindustantimes.com |
