Press Releases 2008
India, U.S. Now Full Partners in Educational Exchange
July 4, 2008
Historic Fulbright-Jawaharlal Nehru Scholarship Agreement to Double Scholarly Exchanges
NEW DELHI - The Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of India for Financing Certain Educational Exchange Programs was today signed by Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and U.S. Ambassador David C Mulford in New Delhi, giving a further boost to the strengthening of educational exchanges between India and the United States.
The Agreement supersedes the Fulbright Agreement revised in 1963 (after it was first signed in 1950 between Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the then U.S. Ambassador to India, Mr. Loy Henderson).
Under the new Agreement, the Government of India and the United States shall henceforth implement the scholarship program as full partners and increase by 100% the total scholarship amount awarded annually - to USD 5 million (Rs. 21.37 crore).
At present about 100 Indian students/ researchers visit the United States from India and a 100 U.S. awardees visit India each year under the Fulbright Program. Under the Agreement signed today, these numbers would approximately double.
The new Agreement provides for expansion of the existing program with, for the first time, (i) a direct financial contribution by the Government of India, (ii) Government of India co-chairing the Board of Directors of the Foundation and (iii) participating equally in policy and decision-making on the exchange of Indian and U.S. scholars under the India-U.S. program.
The Foundation will now be called the "U.S.-India Educational Foundation" awarding "Fulbright-Jawaharlal Nehru Scholarships and Grants".
The programs of the Foundation will continue to finance (i) studies, research, instruction and other educational activities of/for U.S. citizens and nationals in India and Indian citizens and nationals in U.S. schools and institutions in USA, (ii) visits and exchanges of students, trainees, teachers, instructors and professors and (iii) other related educational and cultural programs and activities.
Both Governments have agreed to endeavor to see that the Foundation's programs of activities, research and studies will complement the bilateral initiatives announced by the U.S. and Indian Governments on July 18, 2005 and March 2, 2006 in the areas of agriculture, science and technology, sustainable development, clean and efficient energy, environment, climate change, democracy and capacity building in emerging democracies and global issues of common concern - among others - and create further awareness and understanding of India in the USA and vice versa, strengthening the 'knowledge' linkages between the people of the two countries.
The Fulbright Program was established by the United States Congress in 1946 to promote "international goodwill through the exchange of students in the fields of education, culture, and science." Now six decades old, it remains the U.S. Government's most prestigious scholarship program, operating in 155 countries. Since its signing on February 2, 1950, more than 9,800 Americans have come to India and 5,000 Indians have traveled to the United States as Fulbright scholars.