Education News – October 2013

FOREIGN UNIVERSITIES OFFERING SHORTER COURSES

* Fearing a drastic reduction in the number of Indian students owing to the sharp decrease in the value of the rupee, some foreign universities are cutting short the duration of their programmes.
* Some universities in New Zealand have reduced the duration of their master’s degree from two years to 12-18 months.
* Australian universities are giving students the option of using their Christmas break and other holidays to complete their course faster.
* However, in the UK, there has been no announcement as yet of such condensed courses.

BANKS TO EXTEND EDUCATION LOAN REPAYMENT PERIOD

* In light of the falling rupee rate against the US dollar and pound, banks are  considering extending the loan repayment time for students with education loans to study in foreign countries.
* State Bank of Hyderabad might extend their repayment period from seven to 10 years.
* HDFC Credila may extend it to 15 years for select cases.
* Both students who have returned to India and those who have finished their degree abroad and taken a job there would need to pay lower monthly EMIs under this scheme.

APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR YOUNG INDIA FELLOWSHIP

* Young India Fellowship is looking for talented, spirited individuals for its 2015 batch. The objective of the fellowship is to groom and mould the future leaders of tomorrow through a one-year residential postgraduate programme (in Ashoka University, Sonapet). Applications opened on 5 September 2013 and will close on 15 December 2013 (round one). Round 2 will take place between 16 December 2013 and 28 February 2014.
* The main eligibility criteria for the fellowship are: (1) you should be less than 28 years of age (as on 31 May, 2014), (2) you must have a recognised undergraduate/postgraduate degree, (3) you must not have more than 3 years of work experience.
* To apply you can log onto www.youngindiafellowship.com. The application fee is Rs. 1000.

CHEVENING-HSBC SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MASTER’S DEGREE

* The scholarship is for students pursuing a master’s degree in a UK university in the academic year beginning 2014.
* The scholarship will be awarded for one academic year to candidates studying in a wide variety of fields but preference will be given to courses in the fields of future leadership, science and innovation, cyber security, journalism and energy politics.
* The scholarship will fund a monthly stipend, travel to and from home country, an arrival and excess baggage allowance, a thesis or dissertation grant, the cost of an entry clearance visa and tuition fees.
* The deadline for the application is 1 November.
* Applications can be sent online at www.chevening.org/india

IIM-L INTRODUCES COURSE IN SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT

This year, IIM Lucknow will be introducing a first of its kind course in sustainability management to provide students with knowledge on the changing business dynamics.
* The postgraduate diploma will be a two year programme that will train students in both environment and socio-economic sustainability.
* The fee structure will be based on the lines of existing courses and will be released in detail later this month.
* The course will have 45 seats and students will be selected based on CAT scores, personal interviews and group discussions.
* The programme will be taught at IIM-L’s Noida campus.

PG MEDICAL SEATS ARE NOW AUCTIONED

In a bizarre turn of events, medical colleges are auctioning places to their  master’s programmes in Chennai and Bangalore.
* The auction is conducted similar to the auctioning of goods and properties. Parents and students both attend the auctions to place bids.
* For an MD in radiology in Chennai colleges, starting prices are Rs. 1 crore and go up to Rs. 4 crore. The same course in Bangalore costs between Rs. 3 and 3.5 crores.
* College managements say because there are few places in the PG courses, the cost of conducting those courses escalates and that can be covered only by money made from the auction.

 

Volume 3 Issue 4