India expands international student program: hope for South Sudan

Merio Jimmy, Juba

The Indian Ministry of Education is chalking out plans to increase the number of international students coming to study in the country.

The changes will form part of the 'Study in India' program, a scheme aiming to attract international students to Indian universities. So far, 117 institutions are partners under the programme first launched in 2018.

India's Education Minister, Amit Khare, has told press that the entry requirements for the program are currently being revised to increase participation from a number of partner countries. Taking into account the diversity of academic infrastructure across the world, India hopes to create a level playing field for hopeful students in years to come.

S.D Moorthy, Indian Ambassador to South Sudan, pictured at a recent event in Juba.

The 'Study in India' program also seeks to create a productive and safe campus environment for international students, allowing them to study in the country without hassle or danger. Khare has also called for Indian partner institutions to set up International Students’ Offices to prepare for the new influx of foreign students. 'This office should work as a single window support for anything that the international students may need, right from the day they get selected to join the institution. Besides this, avenues like networks of families, mentors etc should be developed, who can help the students to socialize so that they feel welcome in the country and have an enjoyable stay here, with memories that they can cherish, and positive experience to share with others', the Ministry of Education has said. This announcement has particular relevance for South Sudanese students, who have frequently benefited from Indian government schemes for international study in recent years.

Over the past year, more than 36 South Sudanese students were awarded special scholarships from top Indian universities to study Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Law Faculty and Business Administration courses.

Any aspiring students interested in attending an Indian university are requested to visit this site to register. Further information can also be had from the Education Counsellor at the Indian Embassy.