The Indian High Commission in Dhaka has formally launched the Suborno Jayanti Scholarship (SJS) website.

At the invitation of India High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami, prominent Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholars and Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) alumni joined the event Thursday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for an intensified effort to share openings for education and professionalism in India, "with its brethren in Bangladesh," as an initiative for the year of golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh's independence. 

One thousand SJS for students (500 ICCR seats) and officials (500 ITEC seats) of Bangladesh were announced during his visit to Bangladesh during March 26-27 2021. 

These scholarships aim to attract the best and brightest talents and provide important opportunities to promote synergies between India and Bangladesh under India's New Education Policy, said the high commission. 

The SJS website will guide applicants to both the ICCR and ITEC sites.

The ICCR scholarships were founded in 1950 by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, independent India's first education minister, to foster and strengthen cultural relations and mutual understanding between India and other countries. 

The ITEC programme was launched in 1964 to enhance sharing of knowledge and expertise for professionals in friendly countries.

Last year, the academic year 2021-22, 267 ICCR scholarships were availed by Bangladeshi students in various fields of engineering, science, arts, law, culture, at undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD levels in premier government educational institutes of India such as IIT, NIT, NALSAR, and Rabindra Bharati University. 

Around 285 Bangladeshi professionals enrolled for e-ITEC courses in the financial year 2021-22 since no physical courses were held due to the pandemic.