With an aim to attract international students to India and keeping in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of re-establishing India as a global hub of education, the Government of India has recently launched the Study in India Portal in New Delhi.
The goal is to once again make India, once the land of globally renowned historical universities like Nalanda and Takṣaśilā, a preferred destination for higher education among students across the globe. From registration to visa approval and selecting desired courses or institutions, the portal aims to simplify the entire journey of the international students wishing to study in India.
The Minister says
The portal was jointly inaugurated by Union Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar earlier this month.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that SII Portal is a one-stop platform that will simplify international students’ academic journey in India. Guided by the NEP, the SII Portal reflects our commitment to make India a preferred education destination as well as to blur academic boundaries for shaping a prosperous future, he expressed.
While addressing the gathering, Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar said that the portal signifies the Government’s commitment to make India a global hub of education by welcoming students of diverse backgrounds.
Study in India Programme
Study in India is a flagship programme of the Government of India, under the aegis of the Ministry of Education. The programme aims to increase the number of international students in India and envisions promoting India as the preferred study destination, providing affordable and quality education comparable with global standards thereby contributing to improving the overall quality improvement in higher education.
India being one of the largest higher education systems in the world, our universities offer a diverse range of courses catering to the evolving needs of the global workforce. The Study in India programme seeks to facilitate international students’ access to these courses and showcase the country’s academic excellence.
Study in India (SII) Portal
Study in India Portal is a dedicated website that provides comprehensive information about the Indian Higher Education Institutions. The website illustrates academic programmes covering but not limited to undergraduate (UG), postgraduate (PG), Doctoral level programs as well as courses in Indian Knowledge System like Yoga, Ayurveda, classical arts etc.
The portal offers information about the academic facilities, research support, and related information. The new website now has the provision for students to apply in more than one institute/course of their choice. The portals provide an integrated one-stop solution for student registration and visa application process.
Eligibility
The website clarifies the eligibility criteria for applying in Undergraduate courses, Post graduate courses, Doctoral studies and Diploma or Certificate-based courses. While non-resident Indians (NRIs) are now eligible to apply for the Study in India programme, they will not be eligible for the SII Scholarship, according to the portal.
Institute Scholarship
Institute Scholarship is a concession offered on tuition fees by the Study in India partner institutes. More than 90,000 Institute Scholarships are granted across 164 institutes but the number of Institute Scholarships available differs from one institute to another. However, concessions offered under this do not cover other costs such as accommodation and canteen costs which will have to be paid by the students.
5 steps to study in India
The SII portal guides students to 5 quick and easy steps to plan their educational travel to India. These include the following:
1.Register now
Firstly, a student visiting the portal is required to create a user ID to access the portal and fill in the registration form with his/her basic details such as name, country, date of birth, mobile number and email ID. The information given should match with what is mentioned in their passports or government Ids.
2.Plan your budget
The portal guides students getting associated with the Study in India Programme about having the opportunity to avail financial assistance in the form of tuition fee waiver that helps them to manage their expenses in a better way.
3.Submit application
Once the students have registered themselves with Study in India, the next step is completing the application and submitting it. After sharing their basic information, in the next section, students are required to provide the details of their academic qualification and additional exam (like IELTS, SAT, etc). In addition to these details, they need to upload scanned copies of their qualification documents, photo, and signature.
The portal suggests that students should make sure to apply to as many institutes as possible to increase their chances of getting their desired course and finally submit the application before the closing date. This is because the final allocation of course and institute is done on the basis of choices filled by the student, so they must be cautious while providing all the details across this section. While filling the preferences, students are recommended to do thorough research about institute rankings, fee structure, facilities, etc. before arriving at the final decision
4.Check results
Now students will have to wait for the result declaration to know about the allotted institute and course. Therefore, they are advised to regularly check their student dashboard and email IDs for any notification or update.
The result contains essential information such as the Allotted Institute, Discipline, Qualification, Program Level, Specialization, Fee Waivers and Institute Action Status. It also provides information about the financial assistance (Fee Waiver) awarded to students.
5.Prepare your departure
Once a student accepts the offer letter presented by the institute he/she had applied for, they are advised to pack their bags and start prepping for their departure to India. Students are suggested to plan their travel well in advance for a hassle-free experience!
