I am at times disappointed when scholars write in saying they have difficulties in getting timely clearances for working on various projects of interest to them. I have been grappling on this with our ministries but I don’t think I have succeeded entirely in overcoming the obstacles.” — Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on February 3, at the launch of K S Bajpai’s new book Democracy and Diversity.

If the Prime Minister hasn’t succeeded in “overcoming the obstacles” as recently as last week, he could try calling bureaucrats in three key ministries — Human Resource Development, Home and External Affairs — and ask them why they didn’t act but slept over the United States Educational Foundation of India (USEFI)’s “statement of concern” over the Fulbright mess sent as early as September last year.

Facing protracted delays in granting visas to US scholars — as first reported by this newspaper — the Fulbright Commission in India (popularly known as the USEFI) asked the three key ministries to step up clearances. The commission invoked the 1950 agreement between Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and US Ambassador Loy Henderson, detailed the delays, explained how many scholars had been left in the lurch — how they had given up their homes, their spouses had left their jobs, their children had left schools, and they were paying extra for rented part-time accommodation.

All this fell on deaf ears.

And, significantly, the HRD nominee on the board did not sign this.

And this when the 10-member USEFI Board, the apex body to implement the Fulbright programme has five US nominees and as many as five Indian government nominees on it.

... contd.