In alignment with India's recent National Education Policy, the United States has initiated an educational programme that permits Indian students to undertake a one-year professional master's degree with a specialized focus on the industry within American universities.

This programme is exclusively dedicated to the domains of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and ready to commence during the fall semester of 2024.

Upon the successful completion of their chosen courses, students are granted the opportunity to extend their stay in the US for up to three years in accordance with the prevailing visa regulations. This extended period facilitates the acquisition of practical work experience within the industry while facilitating the repayment of student loans.

The mastermind behind this programme is Akhilesh Lakhtakia, a distinguished Jefferson Science Fellow positioned within the State Department's South and Central Asia (SCA) bureau.

India introduced the National Education Policy 2020, marking a significant shift in its educational approach after nearly two decades. The policy is geared towards achieving three fundamental objectives: first, to make quality education accessible to all citizens of India; second, to cultivate an education system that is both globally expansive and deeply rooted in Indian culture and knowledge systems; and third, to foster a collaborative partnership between students and educators.

At its core, the National Education Policy envisions a holistic educational system that is deeply entrenched in Indian values, propelling the transformation of India (Bharat) into a sustainable and equitable knowledge society.

As this initiative takes shape, more than twenty American universities and over fifteen Indian institutions are actively engaged in discussions to explore how best to capitalize on this educational opportunity. Facilitating this collaboration is the US State Department, which is playing a pivotal role in fostering these partnerships.