IIT offers additional seats to foreign students

Kathmandu, Aug 28: India has offered 20 per cent additional seats in the graduate and post graduate studies in engineering and technology in various colleges under the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) to the students from neighbouring countries.

 Binaya Kumar, deputy chief of mission at the Indian Embassy Kathmandu, said that the additional seats would be offered to the students of six neighbouring countries.

"The foreign students now have to sit in only one examination instead of two different exams of Joint Entrance Examination (JEE - Advanced) and Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE). They have to attempt JEE Advanced exam," he informed.

For the upcoming education session, entrance exam will be held in Kathmandu. GATE is scheduled to be held on the first two weekends of February 2017 and JEE will be held on the third Sunday of May next year.

"Those exams will be conducted through online," informed Kumar.

A four-member delegation from various IITs is on a visit of Nepal to hold interactions with the universities along with institutes of engineering and technology regarding the new educational opportunities in India.

"Nepalese students who have completed higher secondary education in science can apply to enroll in 22 IIT institutions in India. All of the institutes are being funded by the Indian government," the delegation told in a press conference organized at the Embassy of India in Kathmandu Sunday.

The delegation was scheduled to hold interactions with prospective students at the Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk, Kathmandu University, Rai School, Modern Indian School, DAV School and KV School.

According to the Embassy, B. P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation also held a special talk programme for the visiting IIT professors on Friday.

Embassy informed that the IITs were autonomous public institutes of higher education and both the domestic and foreign students would get admission on the basis of merit.

To complete a graduate at IIT, a Nepalese student should spend about Rs. 2 million, which covers fee, accommodation and food while fee for post graduate degree is set about Rs. 80,000 per semester in full payment and Rs. 24,000 per semester for scholarship holders.