AP CM aims for 100% literacy rate by

2019
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has called on the
officials to achieve 100 percent literacy rate by 2019.
Addressing the collectors' conference, the Chief Minister asked the collectors
to cooperate in making the state a knowledge hub.
He further asked them to make all the arrangements so that every child,
attaining the school going age, must be made to go to school.
Naidu also asked to start 4000 cloud-based virtual classrooms with 60 schools
as a group.
Setting March 15 as the deadline to start the virtual classes, he suggested to
get the content prepared by best of the teachers.
The Chief Minister asked to catch up with the best practices for virtual
classrooms in any part of the world.
He asked every department to appoint IOT (internet of things) coordinators to
cope up with high standards in technology.
Meanwhile, he also asked the collectors to focus on building IT towers in all
districts.
He suggested developing Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Amaravati as IT hubs.
He asked collectors to take measures so that RTG centers to be built in all
districts within two months.
During the conference, the Chief Minister also reviewed the performance of
the Skill Development Corporation.
Sambasiva Rao Koganti, MD & CEO of APSSDC, presented that a total of 7.25
lakh people, out of which 88 percent of them were students, are given skill
development training.
The Chief Minister appreciated the efforts of the department in bringing many
international companies, to partner with colleges and set up skill development
centres.
"Leveraging technology will scale up the skilling programs, and cloud-hosted
multimedia digital content must be utilized in both English and Telugu", he
said.

India to achieve 100% literacy in 2022: Govt

-International Literacy Day Celebration-
Our Correspondent / NEW DELHI
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today said that a country could not be called
a developed unless its people were literate. He said, a life was incomplete
without education and it is crucial for any nation’s progress.
The Vice President said, India still have the challenge to achieve 100 per cent
literacy. He said, education empowers people and it is an ammunition to fight
discrimination and injustice.
He was speaking after presenting the Saakshar Bharat Awards at an event
organized to mark International Literacy Day in New Delhi. The awards were
given to the best performing State, Districts, Gram Panchayats and NGOs.
FOLLOW INDIAN AWAAZ ON TWITTER
The Vice President suggested ways to achieve universal literacy; firstly to
improve the quality of pre-primary and school education; secondly, we must
provide opportunities for learning to those who have never been to school or
have dropped out of school. He also congratulated Human Resource
Development Ministry for taking various successful initiatives to promote
quality education and literacy in the country.
Addressing the gathering, Human Resources Development Minister Prakash
Javadekar said, Government will launch School Chalo Campaign next year for
children who are not able to attend schools due to various reasons. The
Minister said, literacy rate in the country has reached upto 81 per cent from 74
percent during 2011 Census. It was 18 percent when India got independence.
The minister assured that next year government will start ‘School Chalo
Abhiyan programme. These efforts will help overcoming the remaining 19 %
illiteracy and we will be able to achieve 100 % literacy and 100% digital literacy
by 2022 which is a dream of our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
Ministers of State Upendra Kushwaha, Dr Satyapal Singh, Secretary Anil
Swarup and Country Representative of UNESCO was present on the occasion.
International Literacy Day is observed every year on 8th September to
emphasize the importance of literacy to individuals, society and communities.
The theme of this year’s International Literacy Day, is ‘Literacy in a Digital
World’.
The 2017 UNESCO International Literacy Prizes awards ceremony will also take
place to recognize and reward excellent literacy practices from around the
world in connection with this year’s theme.

Andhra Pradesh: Leading the transformation

Analysing the transformation of Andhra Pradesh into an inclusive and
competitive business destination and its plans of becoming a leading global
investment destination by 2050.

Andhra Pradesh started its transformation with emphasis on inclusive

development and has truly worked towards becoming India’s sunrise state.
‘From focusing on building world-class infrastructure to developing logistics to
become a manufacturing hub, setting-up top technical institutions and private
universities to become a knowledge and education hub, introduction of several
reforms in agriculture and irrigation to safeguard against the impact of natural
events, Andhra Pradesh has had an eventful transformation journey over the
last 3.5 years since its formation in June 2014. With greenfield capital city of
Amaravati poised to be developed as a city of global standards, the state is on
track to achieve its vision of becoming a leading global investment destination
by 2050. Robust policy environment supported by strong governance by
adopting technology for real-time monitoring of key performance indicators
across all sectors has ensured positive results. The ‘sunrise state’ of India is
steadily marching ahead with new reforms for holistic growth and this report
by KPMG in India aims to provide a fair understanding of the state’s
transformation journey and way forward, thereby presenting an opportunity
for forming strong partnerships.

Boom and bust in Andhra Pradesh:

Development and transformation in India's
domestic aquaculture value chain

India is the world's second largest producer of farmed freshwater fish. The
state of Andhra Pradesh (AP) is by far the most important producer of fish in
India. Since the late 1970s, fish culture in AP has undergone a boom (first with
Indian major carps, then pangasius), resulting in expansion of pond area to
142,000 ha, and massive increases in inland farmed fish production, to 1.5
million tons. Unregulated growth of carp farming has caused severe
environmental conflicts, leading to the demolition of 39,000 ha of ponds by the
state. Subsequently, the extreme growth of pangasius farm output has
resulted in oversupply, economic crises for farmers, and major restructuring of
the value chain. Despite its vast scale and dramatic consequences, the inland
aquaculture boom in AP has received little attention in the international
literature. This paper addresses this gap by analyzing changes in each segment
of AP's freshwater aquaculture value chain during four distinct phases of
development (incubation, take-off, maturation and modernization). This
analysis informs the wider literature by showing the role that interlinked
transformations throughout the value chain play in enabling and shaping crop
booms.
Industrial Transformation in Andhra Pradesh

As the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, I am determined to make all the

efforts to transform Andhra Pradesh into an industrial powerhouse in a short
period of time.
Korea’s Kia Motors is about to construct a brand new $2-billion plant in Andhra
Pradesh, Hero Motocorp plant is scheduled to start production this year, along
with Japanese majors THK, Celkon, Karbon, Foxconn and the list goes on. 150
companies from 27 countries, including giants like Pepsi, Isuzu, Cadbury’s and
Colgate have come to Sri City.
187 large and mega-industries have gone into production, investing ₹35,256
crores and creating employment for 87,000 in the last three years. Foxconn
alone employs 15,000 women at its plants as on Dec - 2017. This pinnacle has
been achieved surpassing all the barriers and hardships, and it could not have
been possible without the vision and commitment of the AP government, and
it's focus on the development of Andhra Pradesh business landscape.
The State offers a 21-day single desk portal and is the national leader in 'Ease
of Doing Business'. One company which attests to this is Walmart which has
made the State a priority market. This ranking recognises the effectiveness of
State’s business regulations, including the speed and efficiency of the company
registration and establishment process. The state had 20 operational SEZs
across diversified sectors which include textiles, apparel, food processing,
footwear and leather products, multi-product, pharma and IT SEZs etc.
Increased from 15 to 20% in growth during 2017, the pharma industry is
expecting a boost and has an estimated turnover of over 35,000 crores.
Accepting my invitation, Mr Bill Gates addressed AP AgTech Summit which
focused on using drones and other cutting-edge technology to increase
agricultural productivity. Gates went to recall his first meeting we had, back
when I was the chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh. “I was told that
there is someone who believes in digital technology even more than you do. It
was hard to believe but when we met, he had his digital equipment, his
computer, and had the vision to make government better by using advanced
tools," had said Gates.
The agricultural sector in the State has recorded an astounding growth. In a
meeting with US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, I spoke about the potential
of AP in becoming the new greenfield capital and the Indian hub for
horticulture. We are working towards nurturing the knowledge economy and
infusing technology into agriculture.
The agricultural sector in the State has recorded an astounding growth of
25.56% against a national average of around 2.5 percent. The phenomenal
growth rate in the farm sector was the result of prioritising agriculture sector
by the state administration and a massive technological intervention which
marked a transformation in conventional farming.
"Amaravati will be bigger & better than
Singapore", says CM Chandrababu Naidu

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu participated in the HT-Mint Asia Leadership

Summit in Singapore today. There was also an interview session with R.
Sukumar, Editor, from Hindustan Times. To the audience, the Chief Minister
was described and introduced as a reformist who is renowned for his technical
interventions in governance.
The CM also expounded upon the philosophical approach behind the making
of Amaravati where he said, “My main aim is to make Amaravati the happiest
city in the world. I have been observing Singapore for the past two decades
and they are moving very fast. Currently, they are the most liveable city in the
world. I have similar plans for Amaravati. Andhra Pradesh is a young state and
needs to be nurtured. It was very unfortunate that we did not have a capital
city however, we saw the opportunity in crisis. In the past, I had built a city
from scratch- Cyberabad. We also overcame the land-crisis by introducing a
one of its kind Land Pooling system where farmers voluntarily donated 33,000
acres for the development of Amaravati. Singapore Government was very
helpful, they immediately provided us with a plan for developing
infrastructure. We have roped in the best consultants in the world and are in
the path of building a world-class city, which the entire world will praise”
In response to the question by Sukumar on the challenges faced by Andhra
Pradesh and how they are addressing it, the Chief Minister said, “We had a lot
of challenges initially. We had Rs.16,000 crores of revenue deficit, with no
infrastructure and institutions. The bifurcation created a mountain of
challenges for us. However, we had a vision of making AP one of the top three
states in India by 2022, top state in India by 2029 and a knowledge and
business hub to the world by 2050.” He added, “We have a long coastline and
have already grounded 20 billion dollars worth of investment. Companies such
as Appolo, KIA, Ashok Leyland, Bharat Forge, Foxcon have already stepped into
AP. We are currently number one state in India in Ease of Doing
Business(EoDB). We have linked two rivers as a part of a massive irrigation
project. We are focusing on agriculture as well and our growth of 18%, as
compared to national average of 3%, which is a resounding proof”.
Answering a question on the progress of Polavaram, Chief Minister
Chandrababu Naidu said, “The bifurcation act classified Polavaram as a
National Project and we are entrusted with building it. We have already
completed 53% of work and by June 19th, we will be able to give water by
gravity. Once the project is completed, the state would be equipped to give
water to other states and will also help in saving 3 thousand TMC of water
which otherwise gets wasted into the sea.”
Speaking on ease of doing business in the state, Chief Minister Chandrababu
Naidu said, “first year, post-bifurcation, we were number two. Currently, we
are number one in Ease of Doing Business. I am sure the same would continue
in the coming years as well. We are very active in giving permission to
industries in our state. KIA industry is the best example of that. They will be
coming out with their first car in March next year. We have also made
everything available online. We have streamlined everything and have also
introduced Bhudhar for lands just like Aadhar.”
Asking how does he balance Welfare and Technology in the state and if this
ever created a distance between the people and him, the Chief Minister
replied, “I was ahead of times in those days. Drought and other natural
disasters also contributed to it. People couldn’t digest that I lost. I used to be
very strict with things. Now, I am a lot more balanced and careful about
welfare and development. I am giving power, water and gas security to
everyone. We have set up 100% LED bulbs. We are planning to build 19 lakh
houses and are giving 'good governance' to people.”
On being asked about the dissent among the southern states in India towards
the Central Government, the Chief Minister politely said that this was not the
appropriate occasion and stage for such a question, he said he will answer the
same once he’s back to India. He added, “Progressive states must not be
penalized as it will retard the progress of the country. "I have no aspirations for
a national role. I have made it clear many times in past that I want to make AP
as a model for the world. That’s my only ambition”, the Chief Minister replied
on being asked about his aspiration for a national role

The Chief Minister said, “I always have promoted the technology. We are using
technology for all the services and agriculture also. We have introduced a
comprehensive financial management where all our files are online and we can
monitor the clearance status of those files. We are into Real Time Governance
where we have apps to tell farmers what kind of pesticides they should use.
Through RTG, we are able to monitor and control crime. Technology has
boosted our state’s growth tremendously; we are growing at 10.5% and will be
growing at 15% for the next 15-20 years.” while making a statement on the
role of technology.
Answering a question from the audience on what Singapore can learn from
India, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu replied, “There is a lot to learn from
India in the field of culture and traditions. There is also IT which India is very
strong at. We also offer a lot of opportunities in Agriculture, hardware, food
processing, ports and so on.” The Chief Minister concluded the session with an
appeal to the attendees to visit Andhra Pradesh and invest, and at the same
time, enjoy the vibrant culture of India.

Telugu - A Global Language. Telugu is the official language of the southern

Indian states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. It is the second largest
spoken language in India after Hindi. Almost eighty million people speak
Telugu all over the world.Mar 20, 2019
Silicon Andhra' aims to make Telugu a global language
Computational linguistics should be the thrust area, says Anand Kuchibhotla of
Silicon Andhra Organisation
At a time when many Telugu families are being ‘brain-washed’ by corporate
schools to believe that education in English medium alone would open global
opportunities to their children, here is a U.S.-based Telugu lover who is doing
his bit to make Telugu a global language.
“Telugu is a classical language, but it should also become a global language as
close to 100 million people communicate in it. When Apple launches any app,
it releases even in Norwegian spoken by 20 million people. But nothing in
Telugu as machine translation with accuracy cannot happen unless there is a
massive digitised content in unicode for the system to choose and give
appropriate translation,” explains Anand Kuchibhotla, founder of Silicon
Andhra Organisation.
The California-based organisation works for promoting the spirit of Telugu
literature, culture and tradition. Mr. Kuchibhotla is here as a special guest of
the government for the World Telugu Conference.
he organisation, which has been running ‘Mana Badi’ to teach Telugu language
to the children of Telugu diaspora in the U.S., set up University of Silicon
Andhra this year for students interested in pursuing performing arts after
undergraduation. It has now set its sights on computational linguistics. It needs
both language skills and programming expertise that facilitates creating
unicode content for Telugu literature, language and dialects.
“Imagine the number of software engineers needed to develop apps for
Telugus and the enormous potential for every sector,” he told The Hindu.
Mr. Kuchibhotla, who held senior management position in many Fortune 500
corporations, said India should address the severe dearth of computational
linguists.
“There are about 10 computational linguist researchers and three or four
faculty members in the Central University here.” Silicon Andhra developed 21
unicode fonts and Google now serves those fonts, but the complaint is that
there is no adequate unicode digitised content to facilitate machine
translations with fair amount of accuracy, he said. When 70% of Telugus in
rural areas do not speak English, computational linguistics would help in
creating the database of vocabulary of Telugu in different dialects for the
computer or a mobile phone to process the queries and break digital and
language barriers, he said.
A person sitting in any part of the world can access Telugu literature through
accurate machine translation in the language he or she is comfortable with.
Many Telugus who cannot understand the classical language can get the
translation and enjoy the work of Telugu scholars, poets and writers, he
elaborated.
Mr. Kuchibhotla said the interest and buzz generated by the World Telugu
Conference should be exploited by the government and the NGOs to
encourage young generation to take interest in Telugu language, literature and
research. They should be the target group to sustain the language, through its
culture and traditions.

Telugu is a global language: President Ramnath

Kovind
Fireworks illuminate the sky during the valedictory ceremony of the World
Telugu Conference at LB Stadium on Tuesday.
HYDERABAD: President Ramnath Kovind heaped praise on the Telugu
language, calling it a “global language” and a “bridge language between North
and South India.”
He said Telugu is heard everywhere across the world from Africa to Asia to
America. Telugus form a large part of the Indian diaspora, especially in the
United States. Telugus are successful, holding posts in public office, as doctors,
technocrats, entrepreneurs etc. Mr Kovind mentioned Microsoft CEO Satya
Nadella to back his point.
Mr Kovind was the chief guest for the closing ceremony of the five-day World
Telugu Conference that ended on a colourful note at LB Stadium on Tuesday
evening.
Mr Kovind also praised Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao’s interest and
fluency in Telugu language. Although the President spoke in English, he did
speak a few lines in Telugu at the start and at the end amidst cheers from the
big gathering in the stadium.
Mr Kovind spoke of Telugu personalities who had contributed to the nation.
“Krishnadevarya was known for his good rule and love of Telugu language.
Three past Presidents (Dr S. Radhakrishna, V.V. Giri, Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy)
and a former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, had a Telugu connection.
Works of Nannaya, Tikkana, Gurajada Appa Rao, Sri Sri, Vattikota Alwarswamy,
Dasarathi etc are very popular and so are Tyagaraja and Annamaya keerthans,”
the President said. Komaram Bheem, Cha-kali Ailamma, Bhagy-areddy Varma,
and Swami Ramanand Tirtha influenced others’ with their lives and work.
Like the Telugu people, the Telugu language has been receptive to words,
thoughts and ideas from other languages and regions, the President said. Mr
Kovind lauded the Manabadi programme of the government that focuses on
spreading Tel-ugu language and culture among young children.
Yes, India is heading with good speed but a developed countries means
development of citizens living there also. ... But, if we work together, then the
process of development could be speeded up and developed country by 2020,
tand by 2025, India would surely emerge as a No.1 country by beating USA.
Ensuring education is of good quality so it improves learning levels and
cognitive skills. Also, India still faces challenges in providing quality Early
Childhood Development programs for all children. ... India's tertiary education
system is one of the largest in the world with over ten million students.
Details of how the school system works in India, including the type of
education available…
The Indian education system has made significant progress in recent years to
ensure that educational opportunities are available to all segments of society.
According to the 2009 Right to Education Act, schooling is free and compulsory
for all children from the ages of 6 to 14. However, improvements are slow
being implemented and disadvantaged groups may still not have adequate
access to education. A high value is placed on education, as it ensures a stable
future. All parents want their children to attend the best private English
schools, but places are limited. The admission process is therefore highly
competitive. Most Indian schools have a strong focus on academic subjects,
with little scope for creativity and few or no extra-curricular activities.
Traditional schooling methods tend to emphasise rote learning and
memorisation, rather than encouraging independent or creative thinking.
There is a strong focus on examinations from an early age. This makes the
atmosphere at Indian schools competitive. Many expats prefer to send their
children to international schools. Others choose a more progressive Indian
school that is less traditional in its teaching style.
The Education System
The Indian education system is structured as follows:
Pre-school: Education at this level is compulsory. The Montessori system is
especially popular at the pre-school level
Private playschools: Catering for children between the ages of 18 months and
three
Kindergarten: This is divided into lower kindergarten (for three- to four-year-
olds) and upper kindergarten (for four- to five-year-olds)
Primary school: First to fifth standard/class/grade (for six- to ten-year-olds)
Middle school: Fifth to eighth standard/class/grade (for 11- to 14-year-olds)
Secondary school: Ninth and tenth standard/class/grade (for 14- to 16-year-
olds)
Higher secondary or pre-university: 11th and 12th standard/class/grade (for
16- to 17-year-olds). This is when students choose an academic area on which
to focus
Undergraduate: A BA is a three-year degree. Specialised courses such as
medicine and engineering can be longer
Postgraduate: A one-year course

Types of Schools
Public/government schools: Most schools in India are funded and run by the
government.
Private schools: Since many government schools do not provide adequate
education, Indian parents aspire to send their children to a private school.
Some expats choose to send their children to private Indian schools
International schools: There are international schools in all major cities. They
are attended by expat and Indian children
National open schools: Provide education up to the higher secondary level for
children whose schooling has been interrupted and have been unable to
complete formal education
Special-needs schools: Provide non-formal education and vocational training
to children with disabilities
India: Leading education destination

Indian colleges and universities are known worldwide for offering high-quality
education at a fraction of the cost compared to other educational destinations.

Indian colleges and universities provide quality education at affordable rates

India has been one of the premier education destinations for many years. Now,
students from about 100 countries are pursuing various undergraduate,
postgraduate and research programmes in India.
India is recognised worldwide as one of the important sources of engineers,
doctors and scientists. India has been popular as an education and learning
destination for centuries now. A number of the Fortune 500 companies recruit
regularly from Indian campuses.
Another advantage of India is that most colleges and universities adopt English
as the medium of instruction, as it has the second largest English-speaking
population in the world. Indian colleges and universities are known worldwide
for offering high quality education at a fraction of the cost compared to other
educational destinations. The quality of education is assured through national
bodies such as the National Board of Accreditation (NBA) for Technical
Education and National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) for
Higher Education.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) is the national body for coordination,
maintenance of norms and standards of higher education. It also releases
grants for functioning of higher education institutions. Institutions such as the
All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Medical Council of India, Bar
Council of India, Rehabilitation Council of India, and Central Council of Indian
Medicine are some of the professional bodies that are responsible for
recognition of courses and institutions for compliance to quality standards.

Education System
With more than 30,000 colleges, 700 universities, 13 institutes of national
importance and various other vocational institutes, the higher education
system in India is one of the largest in the world. Indian colleges and
universities offer a wide variety of undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral
or pre-doctoral level courses.

Types of Qualifications
Undergraduate courses in arts, commerce and sciences are three-year
programmes leading to Bachelor's degrees. However, undergraduate courses
in professional subjects such as engineering and medicine are of longer
duration usually ranging between four to five years. Postgraduate courses in
arts, science, medicine and engineering usually last for two years and lead to a
Master's degree. Diploma courses are available at undergraduate and
postgraduate level. At the undergraduate level, course duration varies
between one and three years. Postgraduate diplomas are normally awarded
after one year of study.
A pre-doctoral programme - Master of Philosophy (MPhil) is taken after
completion of the Master's degree. This can be either completely research-
based or can include course work as well. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is
generally awarded two years after the MPhil or three years after the Master's
degree, where students are expected to write a substantial thesis based on
original research.
Application Process
After secondary education or high school, students move on to colleges in
India to pursue higher education. The application process varies from
institution to institution. Most institutions in India start their academic year in
July/August, while colleges and universities start offering application forms to
students three to four months in advance. Many institutions sell physical
copies of the application form that students or their relatives will have to go
and buy in person. Only a few high-end colleges and universities offer the
chance of applying online. Most professional courses have entrance exams, as
the competition for seats is intense and the cut-off marks for entry is very high.

Admission Requirements
For admission to undergraduate courses, universities and colleges in India
require students to have completed 12 years of schooling (equivalent to the 10
+ 2 system of Indian education). Marks are the most important prerequisites
for admission. Being extremely competitive, institutions offer management
seats or charge a higher fee for their self-financing sections. Reservations are
made for the minority groups.

Most institutions conduct CETs or Common Entrance Tests to select

candidates. The rules vary from state to state. Professional courses have
central level or state level entrance exams that are extremely competitive.
Some courses such as architecture require an aptitude test.
Private institutions offer special seats for foreign and Non-Resident Indian
(NRI) students but the fees for these programmes are much higher. Some
conduct their own tests and seats are allocated based on performance in these
tests and the final school board exam results.

Deadlines
The application forms for most professional entrance exams are out four to six
months before the final school board exam results are released and most of
the entrance tests are held in May/June. Institutions, such as the Indian
Institute of Technology (IIT), conduct its tests in two phases.
The mind-boggling range of courses and the differing entry routes can be
daunting. There are variations in each state and each course, so it is necessary
to start research a year or two in advance. International students and non-
resident Indians can secure admission in Indian institutions through the DASA
Scheme (Direct Admission for Students Abroad).
This scheme, administered by Educational Consultants of India (EdCIL), does
not require entrance tests, but entrance is based on grade 12 marks.
Fees, Finance and ?Scholarships
Indian institutions offer quality education at affordable costs; they are much
cheaper than other educational destinations. Estimated cost for a three-year
degree is $18,000 for the entire duration of study. Living costs also tend to be
lower.

The University Grants Commission (UGC), besides encouraging colleges and

universities to provide for liberal financial support to meritorious but needy
students, has also been instrumental in introducing educational loan schemes
facilitated through the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). A number of banks have
launched educational loan schemes to support students for full-time studies in
India or abroad. Scholarship programme for diaspora children is administered
by EdCIL. There are also several scholarships for deserving students based on
need and academic merit.

Student Life
Institutions in India have large libraries, labs and sports facilities. Students can
take part in various intra-college and inter-college sports competitions and
cultural festivals. Students can also participate in social welfare schemes such
as the National Service Scheme (NSS) and the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and
enjoy the vibrant cultural diversity of India, its festivals and people. There are
innumerable places to visit ranging from modern malls to ancient forts, palaces
?and temples.

Facilities
Most institutions provide hostel accommodation for international students on
campus, but students wishing to stay off campus can do so as well. Colleges
and universities have well-stocked libraries and labs that students can use for
free. Most institutions also have its own health centres where students can be
treated for minor ailments. Larger institutions also have large grounds and
fields so that students can engage in sports.

Indian colleges and universities are known worldwide for offering high-quality
education at a fraction of the cost compared to other educational destinations.

Web
Ministry of Human Resource Development's Department of Higher Education:
www.mhrd.gov.in
University Grants Commission: www.ugc.ac.in
Direct Admission for Students Abroad: www.edcilindia.co.in

Private institutions offer special seats for foreign and Non-Resident Indian
(NRI) students but the fees for these programmes are much higher.

Visas
International students are required to submit the following documents along
with an application form to secure a visa:
-A valid passport.
-A letter of acceptance or provisional admission certificate from a
university/college/institute.
-A health certificate mentioning that the candidate is free from AIDS.

After its independence, the educational reform in India has entered a new era.
India is fast emerging as one of the world leaders in education with its
affordable education, a wide range of choices, world-class institutions, and
international exposure.

Delhi: The capital city of India, Delhi, is one of the top destinations for students
in India when it comes to world-class education. The city is safe, well
connected, and has good infrastructure and economic structure. It has better
social and cultural environment and healthcare facilities. The only state
universities are Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and National Law
University. Top business schools and coaching institutes have made Delhi their
preferred destination. With a wide variety of options available, Delhi has
become a desired destination for students. The city also offers a chance to
learn about India’s glorious past by way of its monuments and forts.
Mumbai: A major metro city in the country and the financial capital of India,
Mumbai, is filled with life and energy. The city boasts many prominent
universities and colleges. Mumbai University is one of the largest universities
of the world. The city is full of colleges and institutions for arts and science
streams. The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and Tata Institute of
Fundamental Research are held in high esteem among research scholars.
Mumbai is rich in culture as it houses people from all over the country.
Chennai: Known as the Cultural Capital of South India, is home to many
premier educational and research institutions. College of Engineering in Guindy
is ranked in the top 10 engineering colleges in India and is the only state-
owned college in India to do so. The Madras Medical College and Stanley
Medical College are also recognized as one of the top medical colleges in India.
Dr. Ambedkar Law College is the considered to be the best law school in India.
With its beaches, temples, and places of historical and cultural significance,
Chennai is one of the preferred destinations among students.

Hyderabad: The Pearl City of India and the capital of Andhra Pradesh, the city
rich in culture and arts. This city is uniquely famous for its heritage
monuments, gardens, lakes, parks, fine cuisine, and extraordinary museums.
The city is also a global hub of information technology. The city is home to
global IT firms such as Microsoft, Google, IBM, Yahoo, Dell, and Facebook.
University of Hyderabad and Osmania University are two premier spots for
education in Hyderabad.
Bengaluru: The Silicon Valley of India, also known as the Garden City of India,
usually enjoys a pleasant weather throughout the year. The city houses some
very well recognized colleges and research institutions. As the second fastest
growing metro in India, it attracts students from all over. Colleges are provided
affiliation by Bangalore University. Indian Institute of Science, National Centre
for Biological Sciences, Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology,
National Institute of Fashion Technology and the National Law School of India
are some of the widely recognized facilities. National Institute of Mental Health
and Neuro Sciences is a premier mental health institution in India.