Govt gears up to sponsor its officers for study in foreign universities for FY2016-17; 10 Things to Know

MIT, Harvard University students in New Delhi (File photo)

FOR the government employees, here is the time to apply for courses in foreign universities such as Cambridge, Harvard, DUKE, Oxford etc. Under the Domestic Funding of Foreign Training (DFFT) scheme 2016-17, the government wants nomination from officers for sponsoring their higher studies abroad. But what is the eligibility criteria? Which are the short-listed foreign universities? And whether women officers will get preference? Here are 10 things you may like to know: 

Which Are the Short-listed Foreign Institutes?

For short-term programmes: 

1. Cambridge University, UK (Course: Leadership and Strategic Thinking)

2. University of California Berkeley (Course 1: Negotiations for Public Leaders; Course 2: Ethics and Governance)

3. DCID, DUKE University, USA (Course 1: Budgeting and Financial Management in Public Sector; Course 2: Fiscal decentralization and Local Governance Training Management; Course 3: Project Appraisal and Risk Management; Course 4: Tax Analysis and Revenue Forecasting)

4. ENA, Paris (National School of Government France) (Course 1: Management in the Public Sector; Course 2: Fighting Corruption; Course 3: Local Self Government)

5. EMDC/WMDC, USA (Course 1: Executive Development Seminar; Course 2: Collaborative Leadership)

For Long-term Programmes:

1. Harvard University Mason Programme

2. Oxford University MPP

3. Cambridge University MPP

4. John Hopkins University MPH

5. Duke University MA in International Development Policy

6. IACA Vienna MACS

Who are Eligible?

1. The officers belonging to the Indian Administrative Service, Central Secretariat Service, State Civil Service, Central Secretariat Stenographers Service (Gazetted) (CSSS) irrespective of their place of posting.

2. Officers belonging to other AIS (IPS and IFoS) and the organized Group “A” Central Civil Services, who are holding posts on deputation under the Central Staffing Scheme of DOPT.

What’s the Minimum Length of Service to be Eligible?

1. IAS officers who complete 7 years of service as on 1.7.2016 are eligible for long-term programmes. However for short-term programmes, a minimum service requirement is of 9 years as on 1.7.2016.

2. Other AIS (IPS and IFoS) officers and Group A Officers who complete 9 years of service as on 1.7.2016 (i.e. upto 2007 and senior batches).

3. SCS officers who complete 9 years of service as deputy collectors as on 1.7.2016

4. CSS officers who complete 5 years service as under secretaries and CSSS officers who complete 5 years as Group A as on 1.7.2016

What’s the Final Selection Criteria?

The final selection and nomination of officers will be made on the basis of weightage criteria and preference of programmes indicated by the officers. The selections for short-term training programmes of Cambridge University, University of California Berkeley and will be based on seniority.

Is There a Need to Have an Undertaking?

An officer has to give an undertaking that in case of any false information furnished by him/her in the application form, the full expenditure incurred on their training would be recovered from them with penal interest and action under CCS (CCA) rules/other relevant rules will be initiated against them.

Will Women Officers be Preferred?

Preference will be given to suitable officers belonging to the SC and ST category, women officers and officers working in the Northeast states and Jammu and Kashmir cadre and officers posted in Naxal-affected states, for training abroad.

What’s Long-Term and What’s Short-Term?

1. Training programmes abroad of duration of six months or more are treated as long-term.

2. Training programmes abroad of duration of upto six months are treated as short-term.

Do the Officers Need to Correspondent Directly to the Foreign Universities?

A separate application/sponsorship system has been devised in respect of long-term training programmes, namely, MPA Mason Programme (Harvard University), Masters in public policy (Cambridge University), masters in public health (John Hopkins University) and masters in public policy (Blavatnik School, Oxford University) under which the interested officers will apply directly to the university and undertake admission/selection process as stipulated by the university as a private individual. 

What’s the Last Date?

The last date for officers to apply is 15th April 2016. The last date for nodal officers to forward the applications to the training division of DoPT is April 25, 2016.