Focus: Prelims, GS-II Social Justice
Why in news?
- The Ministry of HRD conducted the first ever Indian Scholastic Assessment (Ind-SAT) Test 2020 under its ‘Study in India’ programme.
- Nearly five thousand candidates from Nepal, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Sri-Lanka, Kenya, Zambia, Indonesia and Mauritius appeared for the exam conducted.
Ind-SAT
- Ind-SAT is an exam for grant of scholarships and admissions to foreign students for studying in select Indian universities under the Study in India programme.
- The Ind-SAT scores will serve as a criterion to shortlist the meritorious students for the allocation of scholarships for under graduate as well as post graduate programmes under ‘Study in India’ programme.
‘Study in India’ Programme
- The Study in India Programme will provide meritorious foreign students fee waiver and scholarship.
- The Programme aims at boosting country’s share of international students and subsequently, improve global reputation and rankings of Indian educational institutions.
- It will target students from 30 countries, primarily in Asia and Africa, including Nepal, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Malaysia, Thailand, Egypt, Iran, Kuwait, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Rwanda, among others.
- The proposed fee waiver and scholarship will be decided by institute concerned based on predefined structure.
- The seats for foreign students will not affect number of seats which are meant for Indian students in any educational institute.
