Germany offers wide study and research facility to Indians

Biprajit Sarkar, professor of Inorganic Chemistry is interviewing candidates for his Free University, a renowned research university in Berlin. He runs a set of stock questions 'what kind of practical experience do you have?', 'what project do you want to do?', 'what courses have you done?' past each of the short-listed candidates for about 20 minutes to assess their admission worthiness.

"Students are more self- confident these days," says Sarkar, himself an alumnus from IIT Mumbai.

"Unlike our generation, the present lot is not embarrassed to ask questions about salary packages,"e says.

Sarkar attributes this attitudinal turn around to the country's growing economic might. Yet, he has a grim view about the job prospects for chemistry researchers in India.

"Chemical industry in India is non- existent," says Sarkar.

"Industry does not have much to offer for researchers," he says.

This is a talent pool, which Germany is keen to attract with scholarships and residence permits through a country- wide study and research expo.

The emphasis, Europe's engineering powerhouse places on highly skilled technical and research graduates can be gauged from the fact that Indian student numbers in Germany has doubled to 7,532 from 2008. The German Academic Exchange Service, DAAD for short, estimates this increase at 114.2 per cent. Indian master's and research students now ranks second only to China, on the list of top countries whose students study in Germany. The number of Indian students receiving financial support from DAAD too has gone up by 56.7 per cent since 2008. The German parliament has also introduced an EU Blue Card that facilitates highly skilled foreign workers to stay and work in Germany.

"There is a lot of corporation happening between India and Germany," said Helmut Blumbach, Director, DAAD. According to Christiane Schlottmann, his colleague and also a Director at DAAD, Information Technology, Bio- Sciences and Life Sciences are some of the key future areas for corporation.

Nevertheless, it's not always smooth sail for Indians in Germany. The acclimatisation phase can be problematic at least for some, if you believe Eva Gutheil, professor at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Scientific Computing, Heidelberg University. "Indian students do not make an effort to learn German, this puts them at a disadvantage when it comes to looking for a job," says Gutheil adding that speaking German is the best way to integrate into the local community. Her advice: "learn German right now, while applying for a course, so that by the time you arrive, you can understand the language somewhat."