New Delhi, Mar 22: The Centre on Thursday gave the go ahead to a policy framework for establishing a NRI/PIO University in India in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) as a Deemed University under Section 3 of the UGC Act as an Institution of Excellence.

The university will be set up by Overseas Indian Trusts or Societies with credible standing and experience in the field of education under the overall supervision of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.

Follow-up action has been taken on the Prime Minister's promise to the Indian Diaspora and to meet the aspiration of the overseas Indians for availing higher education opportunities in India. It will help in developing the comprehensive bilateral links with India through the active association of the Diaspora.

In developed countries like USA and UK, higher education is expensive and increasingly overseas Indians do look to their country of origin for meeting the higher educational needs of their children.

Setting up of NRI/PIO University in India will cater to the needs of the PIOs/NRIs in sought after disciplines as well as impart educational standards at part with the best Universities in the world in one campus.

A PIO is a person of Indian origin who is not a citizen of India. To issue a PIO Card, the Indian government considers anyone of Indian origins up to four generations removed to be a PIO.  Almost 67 per cent of all Indians living abroad have a bachelor's or a master's degree, according to the Indian American Centre for Political Awareness. The case is no different in other countries. It's their sons and daughters that the Indian government is targeting.

"There are many PIO students studying in India at various universities. Through this proposal bringing the PIO students on one campus and provide them quality higher education will be possible. This will also promote India as an education hub," said a source.

Meanwhile, the government plans to invite bids from Indian universities as well as international universities for the same. The criteria for the universities to apply would be their experience in the field of education, financial security and credibility.

Manipal University is considered to be one of the bidders for this proposed university.

It had also offered 100 acres of land available with it in Manipal and Bangalore. The initial idea was to set up a medical university along with a hospital. Courses on engineering, management and humanities were also to be taken up.

Though costing for the university has not been worked out as yet, it is estimated it would run in to few hundred crores. The corporate entity of Manipal education and medical group had decided to invest Rs 400 crore (Rs 4 billion) to set up the university.


sources:

www.dailyindia.com
www.hindu.com
www.rediff.com

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