APPENDIX E (b)- REPORT ON THE PROBLEMS OF STUDENTS GOING ABROAD FOR FURTHER STUDIES WITH A VIEW TO BOTH DEVISING MEASURES FOR ENSURING THAT SUCH STUDENTS RECEIVE THE NECESSARY ADVICE AND GUIDANCE
The following are the two aspects of this item on which a report is presented here :-
(a) Advice and guidance to students desirous of going abroad.
(b) Admissions, accommodation and welfare of students in foreign countries.
(a) For sometime past it has been felt that many Indian students have not been able to take full advantage of educational facilities in foreign countries for a variety of reasons. A considerable number of them went overseas without adequate and necessary educational background and quite a few had to return because they had not made adequate financial provision and in some cases they had not the physique which could stand the climate. This has been the subject of considerable anxiety and at the instance of the Government of India, the Central Advisory Board of Education considered the whole question and approved the suggestions of the Educational Adviser to the Government of India in 1944 and 1945. The decision taken and progress achieved in that direction were reviewed at the January 1946 meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education.
With a view to providing necessary information and advice for students proceeding overseas the Government of India has set up an Overseas Information Bureau. The main function of this Bureau is to provide an up-to-date information service regarding various aspects of advanced studies abroad. It maintains a library consisting of literature about the universities and educational institutions in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and other countries, and it is available for consultation and reference. It also gives every possible assistance to provincial and university bureaux. With that end in view the Bureau has been publishing a Monthly Bulletin which provides latest information regarding educational facilities available abroad, as well as all matters which would help-Indian students in their studies overseas. This Bulletin is being issued to all provincial and other. organisations. The Bureau has also undertaken to publish some pamphlets on facilities for advanced studies abroad and the first of this series on Architecture'
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was published some time ago. The subjects of other pamphlets under preparation are: `General Information about the United States of America'; `Veterinary Science': Pharmacy'; and `public health'. In addition press notes and announcement are also issued by the Bureau. The Bureau answers all enquiries from organizations as well as from students who are unable to get this information from Bureaux of local Universities and Provincial Governments.
It will be easily realised that in spite of the facilities which the Overseas information Bureau does offer, the main burden of advice and guidance to student desirous of proceeding overseas for advanced studies must necessarily fall on provincial and university-bureaux. These are in intimate touch with the student population and are in a better position to scrutinise the academic qualifications. financial resources and other requirements of students wishing to go abroad. With this end in view the Government of India have urged the provincial governments and university authorities and states to take steps for revitalising existing Advisory Bureaux and setting up new ones wherever they should, but do not exist. From the replies received (vide Annexure) it seems that greater effort is necesary to put the whole machinery of advice and guidance on a sound basis. Except the United Provinces other provinces do not possess adequate organizations of this type. The Indian states have also to establish their own organizations or wherever their resources are limited, to coordinate their work with the provincial organization neighbouring their areas. The existing bureaux, as will be seen from the detailed report appended herewith, continue to be considerably handicapped by lack of adequate finances, up-to-date information, and suitable persons with first-hand knowledge of foreign countries to help in the running of such bureaux. Little effort has been made to create a really enlightened public opinion regarding overseas studies through publicity and propaganda. It is, therefore, suggested that the provincial governments and university authorities should take steps to implement the following :-
1. Each province should set up a provincial organization
which will provide necessary advice and guidance
regarding overseas studies and co-ordinate, the work of
university organizations that may be in existence.
There anould be a separate financial provision which
will be earmarked for such sh organisation. It should
have a full-time staff consisting at least of a
secretary and a clerk, and with its own office and
library. The provincial organization should have a
panel of experts who have had recent experience of
foreign universities and educational institutions. It
will also be necessary for such an organisation to set
up smaller advisory committees or bureaux at university
towns, and such other places where there are a large
number of college students. The central provincial
organization should make available to all its branches,
guidance and information which the students need. It
should also undertake publicity and in this respect the
press, the radio and other media of communication could
be fully utilized.
2. A central provincial organization should be responsible
for forwarding applications for admissions abroad, with
its recommendations. The work of securing suitable
educational opportunities for Indian students in foreign
countries would be facilitated, if all these
applications are sent to the Government of India who
would forward them to the authorities concerned.
3. In view of the limited educational opportunities now
available abroad and our limited resources, it will be
desirable to take the fullest advantage of facilities
for advanced studies and research that are obtainable in
our own country, and send our students overseas only for
such studies as will be beneficial to the country and as
are not available here. It will, therefore, be very
useful if a central provincial organization directs
Indian students to such institutions in India where
families similar to these available abroad can be had.
This will considerably facilitate the work of advice and
guidance so far as a large majority of the students are
concerned.
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In view of the resources and facilities available to the
Government of India both for -information and advice
regarding overseas studies, it is desirable that the
provincial organizations and the Overseas Information
Bureaux should work in the closest possible co-
operation. For this purpose, it is suggested that the
provincial and other organizations should send to the
Ministry of Education, regular reports of their work, so
that this could be given full publicity in the Monthly
Bulletin of the Bureau. It will also be desirable if
the staff and experts of provincial organisations and
those from the Ministry of Education have frequent
opportunities of personal contact. This Ministry will
be prepared to send its representatives to the provinces
and states to give all possible assistance if they
desire.
(b) Admissions, accommodation and welfare of students in foreign Countries:-
Conditions with regard both to admission and accommodation in the United Kingdom have been extremely difficult since the end of the war. Due to the unprecedented rush of ex-servicemen to British Universities and the reservation for them of ninety per sent of all available places, it has been extremely difficult to secure admission for the very large number of Government sponsored and private students who wish to go to the United Kingdom. The position in regard to accommodation has been even more difficult. It should be remembered that living conditions in the United Kingdom continue to be difficult and that there is an acute shortage for every body. In spite of the effort of the Office of the High Commissioner for India in London, it has not been possible to remove all the difficulties facing the Indian students. Indian students going abroad, particularly to the United Kingdom, have been repeatedly warned of the present difficult position and advised not to go there without first having made suitable arrangements for their admission and accommodation. With regard to the position in the United Kingdom it may be mentioned that the High Commissioner has been giving such help As he could, whenever he received sufficient notice from the student. Infact, the High Commissioner has issued a press notice that Indian students proceeding to the United Kingdom and desiring accommodation should first register themselves in advance with the High Commissioner's Office, London, by sending advance intimation with a registration fee and all other details of sailing etc, Apart from the Hostels which have been established for Indian students in London and Edinburgh during the last year the High Commissioner's Office maintains an up-to-date list of suitable lodging houses including 125 private houses in London where Indian students could be lodged whenever possible. A proposal to establish another Hostel in London to serve as a reception and Transit camp for Indian students has been sanctioned at considerable cost. A similar hostel for Indian women students has already been taken over by the High Commissioner on lease.
The new High Commissioner himself is taking keen interest in the welfare of the Indian students in the United Kingdom since his assumption of Office. The High Commissioner's Office has been re- organised, particularly the Education Department, by posting a new and experienced Officer well acquainted with the conditions of Indian students abroad, in the Education Department of the High Commissioner. This officer comes with a background of two years' administrative experience as the Education Liaison Officer for India in the United States of America. An officer on Special Duty was also posted to the High Commissioner's Office and is still working in that Department.
Indian students in the United States of America have had to face comparatively lesser difficulties as compared to the students in the United Kingdom, though there, too, the position has not been free from difficulties. It is proposed to depute a third Deputy Educational Liaison Officer to the office of the Education Liaison Officer for India at Washington.
Private students who went abroad to the United Kingdom and the United States of America towards the close of the War at their own expense found, on arrival in those countries, that their financial resources were insufficient to meet the high
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and unforeseen rise in the cost of living in those countries. Applications from such students for partial financial assistance to complete their studies, duly recommended by the Education Liaison Officers abroad, were received by the Ministry of Education and a scheme for the grant of such financial assistance to those students has been sanctioned.
Private students studying in the United Kingdom and the United States of America, from the Punjab, whose parents were unable to send them remittances from India owing to disturbances in the Punjab appealed for temporary advances of the money to the Indian High Commissioner in London and the Indian Embassy at. Washington. The Government of India have sanctioned certain advances being made in these cases subject to proper arrangements for recovery. Representations from Indian students whose parents came from West Punjab, North West Frontier Province Sind or other Pakistan areas are dealt with by the Ministry of Relief and Rehabilitation.
ANNEXURE Statement on the Organization and work of the Provincial, University and State Bureaus
Bengal (West)
The present staff of the Bureau consists of one part-time Secretary, one whole 4 time assistant and one bearer, and the budgetted expenditure for 1945-46 was Rs. 2,816, During this period the Bengal Government gave a grant of Rs. 2,156 for the maintenance of the Bureau and it is included in the lump grant made to the Univer- sity. The Government of Bengal had decided to make an annual grant of Rs. 6,500 to the University for running the Bureau. The Bureau received 273 applications and secured 70 admissions. It received in three months about 1,000 enquiries and disposed of more than 800. The Bureau has prepared a scheme for its re-organization and it has been submitted to the Vice-Chancellor of the Calcutta University.
Bihar
The University of Patna has been maintaining a Students' Information Bureau for the last thirty years. The Bureau consists of eleven members and has a part-time Secretary as well as a part-time assistant and two part-time peons. The annual budgetted expenditure is Rs. 1,400.
The Secretary of the Bureau put forward certain proposals to the Government ,of Bihar for a full-time staff and a library for the Bureau along with an estimate of current and non-recurring expenditure of about Rs. 8000. The Bureau dealt with about 100 enquiries in 1946 and handled about 50 applications for admissions.
Bombay
The Bombay University has been maintaining a Foreign University Information Bureau for a long time. The Deputy Registrar of the University acts as the Secretary of the Bureau. There is also a clerk attached to the Bureau. In 1944-45 the Bureau handled personal enquiries of about 30 per day on an average and 197 applications for admissions abroad. About 90 admissions were secured through its agency during this period.
Central Provinces
The Nagpur University maintains a Students' Information Bureau and it consists of a committee of seven members appointed by the University. The work of the Bureau is mainly done by the Assistant Registrar of the University who acts as its ex-officio Secretary, along with a part-time clerk. The expenditure of the Bureau is amalgamated with that of the University office. This Bureau has no all time staff for its work.
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Madras
In the Madras Presidency there are Students' Information Bureau attach to the University of Madras and similar advisory boards at the Andhra and Anamalai Universities. The Students' Information Bureau of Madras was re-organize in 1946. It has a full time staff, a secretary, a clerk and a peon. The budget estimate for 1946-47 provided for an expenditure of Rs. 4,455. The expenses of the Bureau are met by a transfer of Rs. 3000 from the statutory grant made annualy and also from the revenues of the University. The Bureau handles 120 enquiries per month on an average and the number of admissions secured through its agencl per year are 22. The Bureau has a library and gives publicity to its work in the press
The Bureau is attempting to include information on Indian and Provincial academic institutions and also handles enquiries regarding the United Nations Personnel recruitment, etc.
The Andhra University set up a Students' Advisory Bureau in April 1945 with an Adviser who is a senior member of the staff of the University. The Bureau has no full-time staff nor any regular provision for its work in the budget of the University.
The Annamalai University has set up a small Students' Advisory Board with one honourary Secretary and a clerk. The Board was constituted in 1944. Their is no separate budget allotment for the Board. The Board advises students and also gives publicity regarding appointment in the United Nations Organisation. There is a small library.
Orissa
The Utkal University has an Information Bureau consisting of the Vice-Chancellor, Utkal University, the D.P.I. and Principals of the several colleges. in 1945 this Bureau received a grant of Rs. 1,500 (non-recurring) and ail annual grant of Rs. 28,000 was also sanctioned, to meet the expenditure on the establishment and the staff of the Bureau. The staff consists of a secretary, a graduate assistant, a typist and a peon.
United Provinces
In the United Provinces the Students' Advisory Committee which was in existence for a long time and was abolished in 1931 was revived in 1945 with seventeen members with the D.P.I., as Chairman and the D.P.I. as the Secretary.
The United Provinces Government felt that the Committee need not meet except occasionally to discuss matters of an important nature.
The Provincial Advisory Committee has been instrumental in setting up Advisory Committees at Allahabad, Lucknow, Benares, Agra and Aligarh Universities. Detailed information with regard to the activities of these Committees is not available. All the expenditure of the Provincial Committee is met from the D.P.I's. budget, There is no separate annual budget expenditure.
In addition to the Provincial Students' Advisory Committee, there are, a Student's Advisory Bureau attached to the University of Allahabad, an Advisory Committee at the-University of Lucknow and a Foreign Advisory Bureau at the Agra University. The Agra University Bureau consists of three members but it has no staff nor any regular grant for its expenditure.
Centrally Administered Areas
The question of a Students, Advisory Organisation for Delhi and other Centrally Administered areas is still under consideration.
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STATES Baroda
The Baroda Government set up a State Students' Advisory Bureau in 1945. It has no independent staff, "but the work is assigned to one clerk of the Education Department who works under the supervision of the Read of the Staff". There is no budgetted provision for its expenses, The Bureau claims to have dealt with 352 applications and 300 enquiries,
Cochin
A Students' Advisory Bureau has been instituted. Its Committee consists of seven members including the president and the honorary secretary, and its staff are a clerk and a peon. The Cochin Government gave a grant of Rs. 2,250 to the Bureau, which is included in the annual budget of the Government. The Bureau maintains a library and a reading room. It does not forward any application for admission abroad.