India and Germany are proposing to set up a joint working group on education. This was discussed during a meeting between Shri Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Human Resource Development and Professor Max. G. Huber, Vice President of the German Academic Exchange Service. This working group, draft preparation for which will be undertaken immediately, will act as an umbrella organisation which will encompass all areas including research, academic training programmes, setting up of chairs in each other’s countries’, academic and faculty exchange programmes, etc.

Shri Sibal pointed out that the area in which India and Germany could work together fruitfully was in skill development. He talked about the HRD Ministry proposal to set up community polytechnics, which will specialise in imparting skills. He cited the example of the several German automobile units in India, for which skilled manpower could be generated through a focussed programme in skill development between India and Germany, which will benefit both countries.

The German delegation expressed their interest in the imparting of joint degrees by Germany and India. The HRD Minister stated that the opening up of the education sector in India was proposed in the HRD Ministry’s 100 day plan.