National Education Policy: India launches fellowship program for ASEAN scholars

APFP was announced by PM Modi in 2018 when leaders of the 10 ASEAN nations were chief guests at Republic Day celebrations

India’s research fellowship programme for ten ASEAN nations got off to a modest start on Friday marking a step in the direction of internationalisation of higher education as envisaged in the National Education Policy.

Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' launched the Asean PhD Fellowship Programme (APFP) at a virtual event attended by envoys of the 10 nation grouping with 42 research scholars pursuing their subjects of interests at Indian Institutes of Technology across the country.

The APFP was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018 when leaders of the 10 ASEAN nations were chief guests at the Republic Day celebrations.

India had announced 1,000 fellowships over a three year period with 250 students getting the research grant in the first year. However, according to the website of the programme, 42 students have been shortlisted after two rounds of applications.

Nishank said the APFP was the largest capacity development programme undertaken by the government for foreign beneficiaries.

The Asean PhD Fellows will be recognized as the alumni of the respective IITs from where they will be completing their doctoral research, he added.

“New Education Policy (NEP)-2020 will bring transformational change in the education system of India, promote research and innovation in higher education and internationalisation of education,” Amit Khare, Secretary, Department of Higher Education said at the function.

Khare said the PhD Fellows will begin their academic journey through the virtual route and were expected to report to their respective campuses in the next two to three months, if the Covid situation improved.

“The programme will be India’s contribution to the education and upskilling of ASEAN’s IT capacity,” Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro, Ambassador of Indonesia said.

IIT-Delhi Director V Ramagopal Rao said the APFP will also bring in the much needed cultural diversity in India’s academic institutions and was in line with the Look East policy.