Number of students in India under age of 14'

Updated on: Thursday, June 02, 2011

What is the focus of the Canada-India Education Summit, which is being organised by Carleton University, in collaboration with the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute,

Indian High Commission in Ottawa, in June 2011?

Institutions in Canada have realised that the opportunities of collaboration at university levels in India are growing. There is an education MoU, which was signed last year when the prime ministers of India and Canada met in Toronto. In addition, we had 15 Canadian university presidents (equivalent to vice-chancellors in India) visiting India in November 2010.

The summit in June 2011, organised by the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute and Carleton University, is a follow-up of those relationships that were built in November last year. It is a way of maintaining the momentum and building on relationships that already exist.

A number of MoUs were signed and CA$ 4 million worth of scholarships was announced during the visit of Canadian university presidents to India in November 2010. Twenty-five VCs from India are travelling to Canada to attend the summit , and I believe university presidents from Canada will be visiting India again in November 2011.

How does Canada plan to establish education-focused collaborations with India?

I was sharing the dais with minister Kapil Sibal in Hyderabad sometime back, where he mentioned that the number of students in India under the age of 14 is 134 million — a remarkable number. The opportunity is huge and there are varied roles we can play in this context. Individual institutions bring their own strength to the vertical. The University of Alberta, for example , is a premier research institution in Canada, situated in Alberta, a province rich in oil and gas. Thus, they bring in particular expertise in engineering and nanotechnology. Each university in Canada comes with its own best fits for India.

What are the scholarships and fellowships on offer for Indian students in Canadian colleges and universities?

The Vanier Scholarship programme, which was started three years ago, provides CA$ 50,000 a year to a researcher. India already has five of those scholarships. We also have a new scholarship programme called the Banking Fellowship Programme , which provides up to CA$ 70,000 a year for research at the postdoctoral level.

Community colleges in Canada too, have a programme for Indian students. 'Students Partner Programme (SSP)' is a partnership between the Canadian visa offices in India and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC). Under the programme, students apply to the participating college , and the participating college ensures that students who are accepted in the programme, have the required documentation and meet the criteria, thus making it easier for them to get a visa or student permit.

Graduate fellowships are also available for Indian students who want to pursue a Master's or PhD in Canada. There are also up to 51 scholarships valued at more than CA$ 3.5 million for Indian students under the MITACS scholarship programme in mathematics for research internships at the undergraduate level.

What is the role of community colleges in Canada?

Community colleges in Canada are highly specialised colleges. I think we do not have an equivalent in India though. If you want to become an aircraft mechanic, for example, or a pilot; a nuclear technician at a nuclear power plant or a digital media designer, you have to go to a community college. These are focused, more technical institutions with a different curriculum. Community colleges are for students who are looking for a more 'applied' career.

Times of India

Number of students in India under age of 14'

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