In the absence of any data on number of students going abroad for higher studies, the Human Resource Development Ministry (MHRD) has approached the External Affairs Ministry (MEA) to constitute Students Emigration Authority Management.
This will make it mandatory for students to declare funding, place and course(s) to help the Government monitor and keep a track on “everything”, especially the outflow of Indian currency which is estimated about Rs 32,000 crore in last academic session. Although there is no specific data about the black money involved, sources said that maximum investment in India came through Mauritius due to the money-laundering racket.
Sources said the Centre was interested in having a proper data bank mainly to monitor the outflow of money and check paying capability of family, etc. The HRD Ministry has asked the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs to include this Students Emigration Authority Management in the Draft Emigration Management Authority, Bill 2013.
As of now the Ministry’s record is based on “as per information publicly available” which puts the number of Indian students studying in the United States (USA) and Australia in 2012 at 10,0270 and 36,326 respectively. There is no data at all on Indian students studying in other European countries, Russia, and other Asian countries.
HRD official said that the draft Emigration Management Bill, 2013 of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs includes a provision to constitute an Emigration Management Authority (EMA) that would capture data of emigrants including separately for students.
“The students would be required to intimate the EMA before leaving India. They would also have to declare the source of funding with their fee structure, place of accommodation (whether hostel of private) and other minute details that would enable the Centre to monitor flow of students as well as money,” official said. In addition to that, the Government will issue guidelines for the students seeking admission for studies in foreign countries in the wake of racist attacks in some countries.
The Government has woken up from the deep slumber following an estimation made by the Commerce Ministry that Indian students’ investment abroad during the last financial and academic year could be Rs 32,169 crore. Where the total FDI in education in the country recorded a little over Rs 3000 crore spanning over 12 years till September 2012.
To attract more investments in terms of intake of students from abroad, the Centre has directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) for permitting 15 per cent supernumerary seats for foreign students including NRIs/PIOs in universities and colleges in India. The Home Ministry has directed the MHRD to develop a foreign students information system (FSIS) to enable the Government to monitor the activities of students studying in various educational institutions across the country. All educational institutions have to provide information mandatory to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in implementation of the proposed system.
A software module has been developed to facilitate online filling of particulars of foreign students including their academic and financial activities by the respective educational institutions in the prescribed format. To start with, the project is currently being rolled out in important cities like Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Amritsar, Kolkata, Kochi, Kozhikode, Thiruvanan thapuram, lucknow and Goa.