Indian Embassy in collaboration with Indian Culture Centre organized a Joint Celebration of Indian Technical & Economic Co-operation (ITEC) Day and Maulana Azad Day.

Minister for Urban Development Narayan Khadka was the Chief Guest at the event. The program was attended by dignitaries, senior bureaucrats from Government of Nepal, ITEC alumni of Indian educational institutions, media and prominent Nepali and Indian citizens. Students of ICC gave an endearing cultural performance on the occasion.

According to a press release of Indian Embassy, the first batch of 12 Nepali ITEC participants went to India in the year 2000. Over the years, the number of seats allocated to Nepal under ITEC /Colombo plan program, has increased from 12 in 2000 to 180 in 2013.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Nepal in August this year announced raising of 70 seats under the scheme making it 250 from this year. Candidates from Government of Nepal as well as from private and public Sectors have been trained under ITEC program in reputed institutions in India in the field of computers, engineering, journalism, banking, legislation, power, remote sensing, manpower research, education, empowerment of women, hydrology, law enforcement, business planning and promotion, accounts and finance etc. From the year 2000 till date, more than 900 participants from Nepal have benefited from attending mid-career short-term professional training courses in India.

 ITEC is about co-operation and partnership for mutual benefit. It is response-oriented and it addresses the needs of developing countries. India has always been willing to share its skills and experience with fellow developing countries. India spends more than I.Rs 500 million annually on ITEC activities. Since 1964, India has provided US$ 2 billion worth of technical assistance to developing countries including neighboring countries under this program.

Over the years, India-Nepal co-operation has made major contribution towards human resource development in Nepal. Presently Govt. of India is extending more than 3000 scholarships annually to Nepalese students in a wide spectrum of courses inclusive of Engineering , agriculture, science, arts, veterinary sciences, Micro-biology, bio-technology, Pharmacy, computer science etc. at various levels of under graduate, post graduate and PhD level .Nepalese students have been sent for study on scholarship to reputed institutions like  NIT, JNU, BHU, Delhi University, Jamia Milia Islamia New Delhi, Osmania University and other central universities. More than 18,500 candidates have been benefited from the scholarships /training provided thorough Embassy of India since 2005-06. Nepali students are encouraged to take advantage of various schemes of scholarships.

The event marked the 126th Birth Anniversary of the first Education Minister of Independent India and founder of ICCR, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad. He was posthumously awarded with India’s highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna in 1992. His birthday is celebrated as National Education Day across India. As India’s Education Minister, Maulana Azad oversaw the establishment of the Indian Institutes of Technology and the foundation of the University Grants Commission, an important institution to supervise and advance higher education in the nation. It is through the efforts of eminent people like Maulana Azad that India has been a centre for learning with ever growing number of reputed universities, Institutions and colleges. These centers have been sharing their expertise with the students of friendly countries like Nepal through ICCR and ITEC programs.

Indian Technical and Economic Co-operation program popularly known as ‘ITEC’ was launched in 1964 as a bilateral program of assistance of the Government of India. Under ITEC ,its corollary SCAAP (Special Commonwealth Assistance for Africa Program), & TCS of Colombo Plan, 156 countries in Asia, East Europe, Central Asia, Africa and Latin America are invited to share in the Indian developmental experience acquired over six decades of India’s existence as a free nation.