New Delhi: For the first time, the prestigious IITs are likely to hold their entrance tests in Singapore, UAE, Ethiopia and SAARC nations from 2017 to select foreign students for undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
Sources stated that in the first phase the government has shortlisted eight countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Ethiopia in Africa, Singapore and Dubai, for holding entrance tests for foreign nationals from next year onwards.
IIT Seats for foreigners not to affect Indians
Students will be selected through a common entrance exam administered by the IIT with the help of Indian missions abroad. However, sources said that the seats offered to foreign nationals would be supernumerary or additional in nature and would not reduce those available to Indian nationals at the 18 IITs. The fee applicable in the case of foreign students will also be more as the subsidised fee which Indians pay would not be applicable to them.
It is understood that in an effort to facilitate entry of foreign students, the MEA will consider giving them a research visa for the duration of the programme rather than one year at a time. The programme for the exercise will begin from August this year and will be conducted in all these eight countries.
