THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]
(a) & (b) According to the data available with the Ministry, there are approximately 1.3 million Indian students who are studying abroad in various courses. However, specific data of students enrolled in Medical courses is not available. A list of number of students in different countries is enclosed as Annexure -I. Around 22,500 Indians including students have returned to India due to Ukraine crisis.
(c) Welfare of Indians abroad, including students, is top priority of the Government of India. MADAD portal, launched in February 2015, extends helping hand to all Indians abroad. Student Module of the MADAD portal, launched on 15 July, 2016, enables Indian students abroad to register voluntarily and provide data about their course, location, institution, duration of the course, etc. besides creating a database of Indian students going abroad. Separately, the India Centre for Migration, a think tank of the Ministry, has prepared a “Student Handbook for Studying Abroad”, providing basic information to students intending to study overseas. The Ministry through its Missions/Posts abroad has also been regularly interacting with the Indian students studying abroad. The Ministry and Indian Missions abroad issue advisories, from time to time, asking Indian students to carry all documentation and undertake due diligence to ensure that the foreign institutions to which they are seeking admission have proper authorization and capacities. In addition, the Ambassadors / High Commissioners and Senior officials in Missions abroad visit local universities and colleges to meet Indian students & address their issues. Missions also conduct Open Houses for students and NRIs to meet the Mission Head and other officers. Missions are also in constant touch with Indian student Associations and University administrations. In case of any distress, students are also assisted under Indian Community Weflare Fund (ICWF).
(d) The following Schemes are running for the welfare of foreign students studying in India:-
(i) Study In India (SII) programme under Ministry of Education provides scholarships in form of tuition fee waiver upto 100% to selected meritorious foreign students to study in Indian universities. The programme involves partnership with 150 plus select Indian institutes/universities.
(ii) A scholarship of Rs. 2.50 lakh per student per year is awarded to meritorious student from all over the world under Champion Services Sector Scheme (CSSS).
(iii) Foreign Students Office have been established by 164 universities.
(iv) Scholarship Programme for Diaspora children (SPDC) provides scholarship for PIO children.
(e) Ministry of External Affairs regularly reviews the requirement of manpower at various levels in Missions and Posts abroad as well as at the Headquarters, and takes appropriate action, including recruitment of additional officers and staff, through placement of requisite indents with the Union Public Service Commission and the Staff Selection Commission respectively, in case of shortfall. Vacancies at Diplomatic or Consular levels in Indian Missions/Posts abroad are regularly reviewed and officers appointed. Generally, gaps between the departure of incumbents and the arrival of their successors are kept to a minimum. However, as the posting chains often involve several officers, on some occasions, Missions/Posts abroad may face some short-term vacancies.
(f) Yes, the Joint India-UAE Vision Statement issued at the Virtual Summit between Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi on February 15, 2022 mentioned that both leaders agreed to establish IIT in the UAE in view of the historical relations between two countries and to encourage and support innovation and technological progress.
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