Afghanistan Times
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AT-KABUL: Some 4,000 Afghan students have benefitted from the India Technical Economic Cooperation program since New Delhi started to offer the scholarship to Afghans in 2005, said Indian ambassador to Kabul.
“The then premier of India Dr. Manmohan Singh during his visit to Afghanistan announced the award of 500 scholarships every year for Afghan students for undergraduate and postgraduate University education in India,” Ambassador Manpreet Vohra said Wednesday.
“Three years later, due to very encouraging response, the number of scholarships was increased to 675 and another three years later, the number of slots was further increased to 1,000.”
He said that 10,000 slots are annually offered for the program.
The ITEC training is demand-driven and such training courses are offered that are of interest to developing countries.
“We have noticed an encouraging trend of senior level participants from within and outside government availing of these courses,” the ambassador added.
This indicates the efficacy and perceived utility of the courses for capacity building, empowerment and upgrading of skills, he added.
He elaborated that Afghanistan was one of the biggest beneficiaries of the ITEC civilian program.
ITEC is the flagship program of the government of India’s technical cooperation effort, characterized by professional capacity building efforts amongst ITEC partnership countries over a number of sectors. The program began in 1964 as a bilateral program of assistance of the government of India to friendly developing countries. Under the program, India shares its rich experiences in the field of economic development, manpower development skills and technology with 161 partner countries with a view to develop their human capacity and capabilities. ITEC program is fully funded by the government of India and has evolved and grown over the years.
