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.

... contd.