New Delhi: In order to bring premier educational institutions like IITs/NITs/ IISERs and IIITs into international knowledge network, Government has undertaken major initiatives.   The Global Interactive Academic Network (GIAN) aims at inviting foreign academicians to offer short courses in the Indian institutions.

Provision of 10% supernumerary seats for foreign students and promotion of collaborative research with foreign universities are other major steps taken by the government for internationalisation of Indian Education Institutions.  Conducting of entrance exams like JEE (Main) and JEE (Advanced) in select foreign countries is another step in that direction.

This information was given by the Minister of State (HRD), Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey today in a written reply to a Lok Sabha question.

Dr Pandey also informed that besides this, the UGC (Promotion and Maintenance of Standards of Academic Collaboration between Indian and Foreign Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2016 allows Indian Universities to have collaboration with foreign universities with prior permission of the UGC. The UGC regulations also permit private and deemed to be universities to establish off-shore campuses.

 In order to promote high quality research, (66) Centres of Excellence have been started in the Institutes of National Importance and Universities. Funds are also provided under RUSA for research, innovation and quality improvement programmes.

 For improving funds for quality research, initiatives such as Impacting Research Innovation and Technology (IMPRINT) and Uchhatar Avishkar Yojana (UAY) have been launched. Under these, research that is socially relevant, outcome-oriented and is of use to the Industry are funded. The total budget for the two schemes is Rs.487 crore and Rs.475 crore respectively.