Centre examining Manipal Proposal13 August : The Government is considering a Project Report from the Manipal Academy of Higher Education Trust, Manipal for establishment of a PIO University in the country. The detailed shape of the University will be worked out after more consultations with the Academy.
Government has decided to set up such a University at Bangalore following the recommendations of a high level committee. The university will have the status of deemed university under section (3) of the UGC Act. It will have 50 per cent seats earmarked for PIOs/NRI and the remaining 50 per cent for resident Indians.
The high level committee on Indian Diaspora was appointed by the Government in the year 2000. The committee had visited various countries with large concentration of Indian Diaspora. It had recommended the establishment of a new university and professional institutions offering courses of international standards in Management, Information Technology, Media, Agricultural Research, Medicine and Food Processing etc. Besides the PIO University, the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has taken up several other programmes specially targeted at overseas Indian youth including award of scholarships and Know India tours.