The Sunday Express accessed latest official records on the Indo-US Fulbright programme, one of the most prestigious bilateral scholar-exchange programmes, under which about 100 scholars from India go to the US and an equal number of Americans come here to pursue research with relevant institutions. Fulbright scholars — including graduates from premier universities, like Stanford, Harvard, Berkeley and Chicago — have gone on to win 34 Nobels and more than 60 Pulitzer Prizes.

Records show that for US scholars, the last two years — since the UPA came to power — have been the worst in the 57-year history of the programme. Not only has the Government kept the highest number of scholars waiting for anywhere between anywhere between six months to 21 months — effectively derailing their entire schedule — it has also, in several cases, rejected research proposals without giving any reason.

Sample the subjects rejected by the babus of this “secular” Government: Democratization in Kerala and the role of associations; perceptions of Muslim women; Left politics in Mumbai; how migration affects Hindus and Muslims in Hyderabad and Dubai. Many scholars refused to re-apply while some changed their subjects to get a visa (see chart).

Significantly, the scholars get no explanation why their research proposals have been rejected.

While Indian scholars, selected under the Fulbright programme, get their visas from anywhere between two hours to two weeks, US scholars are told that the Indian government needs “three months” to process their application. Even those three months are only on paper.

At the beginning of the academic year, in August 2006, when the Fulbright scholars should have been in India, there were 93 applications pending for grant of visas of a total of 100. And this included not just last year’s pending applications, but also some from 2005.

So delayed was the process that the Fulbright Commission in India, popularly known as the United States Educational Foundation in India (USEFI), had little choice but to cancel its August orientation programme. And 33 scholars sent an angry letter to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice asking her to intervene.

As of today, over six months into the academic year, there are still eight applications pending. Another seven are still waiting for their visas after they changed their subject.

Key to the delay is the stifling red tape: HRD, the nodal ministry, first gets the visa applications from scholars through USEFI; it then sends each scholar’s file to the Ministry of External Affairs and the Home Ministry which, in turn, asks the Intelligence Bureau for clearance. Sometimes, even the Ministry concerned is asked to vet the subject. For example, the Environment Ministry may be asked to clear a research proposal on India’s energy needs.

While HRD officials do not specify who decides on the “suitability” of the proposal, sources said an “IB-negative report” or a Ministry’s “concerns” lead to the blacklist.

When asked to explain the delay, HRD Secretary R P Agarwal said: “Our Ministry is only a postbox. We have asked the MEA and Home Ministry to speed up clearances.”

(Tomorrow: Desperate scholars appeal to US Secretary of State)