Lok Sabha Question No. 258 (STARRED), answered on 2016-05-11
Subject: Foreign Service Institute
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: BHARATENDRA SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.258 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.05.2016

## FOREIGN SERVICE INSTITUTE

- *258. KUNWAR BHARATENDRA:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS to be pleased to state:

- (a) the  facilities  and  training  framework  at  the  Foreign  Service Institute (FSI);
- (b) the details of special courses offered at the institute for Indian and  Foreign  diplomats  and  the  number  of  diplomats  trained under  such  programmes  during  the  last  three  years,  yearswise;
- (c) the  countries  with  which  FSI  has  entered  into  institutional collaborations/memoranda  of  understanding  and  the  details thereof;
- (d) whether  there  are  vacancies  in  FSI  and  if  so,  the  details thereof including the steps taken to address staff crunch; and
- (e) the  steps  taken  to  evolve  FSI  into  an  institute  of  world standards?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRIMATI SUSHMA SWARAJ)

- (a) to (e)    A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF  THE LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  258  REGARDING  'FOREIGN SERVICE INSTITUTE' FOR ANSWER ON 11.05.2016

(a) Training  Framework  for  training  of  Indian  Foreign  Service  Officers  was formalized  by  the  Ministry  of  External  Affairs  in  July  2013.  FSI  coordinates  with various governmental, public sector, and academic institutions for facilitating training programmes.

FSI  organizes  training  for  Indian  Foreign  Service  Officers  at  various  levels from Under Secretary to Joint Secretary level officers.  FSI also caters to the training need  of  officials  from  Multi  Tasked  Staff,  Lower  Division  Clerks,  Stenos,  Upper Division Clerks, Assistants, Personal Assistants, Section Officers and Private Secretaries.   FSI organizes the training programme for foreign diplomats from ITEC countries,  ASEAN  countries  and  special  course  for  friendly  countries  on  request basis.

FSI provides hostel and family accommodations, a well-equipped gym, yoga room,  swimming  pool,  tennis/badminton  court,  mess,  officers'  lounge  and  a  170seater auditorium.

(b)

|   S.No | Name of the Course                                                         | Period               |   No. of Participants |
|--------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------|-----------------------|
|      1 | Induction Course for Indian Foreign Service Officer Trainees of 2013 batch | Dec 2013 - June 2015 |                    25 |
|      2 | Induction Course for Indian Foreign Service Officer Trainees of 2014 batch | Dec 2014 - May 2016  |                    33 |
|      3 | Induction Course for Indian Foreign Service Officer Trainees of 2015 batch | Dec 2015 - May 2016  |                    31 |

|   4. | Mid Career Training Programme-II for 1997 &1998 batch of IFS officers       | 23 June - 11 July 2014         | 28                                                |
|------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
|    5 | Mid Career Training Programme-II for 1999 &2000 batch of IFS officers       | 30 Nov - 18 Dec 2015           | 23                                                |
|    6 | Special Course for Commercial representatives                               | 16-28 Feb 2014                 | 24                                                |
|    7 | Special Course for Indian Ocean Rim Countries and for Bangladeshi Diplomats | October 3-13, 2013             | 29 Bangladeshi -14 Indian Ocean Rim Countries -15 |
|    8 | Special Course forASEAN Diplomats                                           | November 13- December 13, 2013 | 30                                                |
|    9 | Special Course for Asia and European Meet Diplomats                         | March 9-13, 2015               | 20                                                |
|   10 | Special Course for Pacific Islands Countries at Nadi and Palau              | May 4-8,2015 May11-15,2015     | 16 24                                             |
|   11 | Special Course for Somali Diplomats                                         | September 16- October 16, 2015 | 20                                                |
|   12 | Special Course forASEAN Diplomats                                           | November 18- December 18,2015  | 19                                                |

- (c) FSI has entered into Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on training with the  Diplomatic  Academies/Institutes  of  53  friendly  countries  (list  of  countries attached at Annexure) for cooperation in mutually beneficial areas of activity, which include:
-  Exchange of information of structures  and  content  of  training  programmes for diplomats.
-  Identifications of experts in mutually agreed areas.
-  Exchange of information on the use of IT in diplomacy.
-  Joint research in mutually agreed areas.

(d) As FSI on the continuing basis organizes training programmes round the year, there  arises  vacancies  on  regular  basis  due  to  transfer,  relocation  and  end  of deputation period.  FSI, in consultation with Administration, fills these vacancies as and when they arise.

(e) FSI  has  switched  to  competency  based  training.  Training  programmes  are designed  to  update  knowledge  and  upgrade  skills  required  at  each  level  for  IFS officers. FSI makes every effort to update its training content to keep pace with GoI directives,  improve  methodology,  use  latest  technology  and  ensure  diligent  use  of resources.  FSI also ensures that speakers of international repute are regularly invited to  address  and  interact  with  trainees  at  all  levels.    FSI  adapts  participant-centric approach.  Target groups of trainees are consulted at the program design stage itself to ensure that the training imparted has relevance to the functional requirements.  FSI applies  various  training  methods  like  simulation  exercises,  case  studies,  panel discussion, strategy games, role play etc. for delivering the course content.  Trainees are given  exposure  to  defence  establishments  as  well  as  functioning  of  state machineries.

FSI has entered into Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with counterparts in other developed and developing countries. This facilitates in developing training design of international standards through exchange of information on  training  content  and  best  practices.    FSI  follows  international  practices  for continuous and comprehensive evaluation (CCE) of training programmes.

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ANNEXURE

## List of Countries with which FSI (MEA) has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs)

| Sl. No.   | Name of Country        | Year                  |
|-----------|------------------------|-----------------------|
| 1.        | Peru                   | 26.05.1997            |
| 2.        | Russia                 | 10.06.1999            |
| 3.        | Uruguay                | 06.12.1999            |
| 4.        | Croatia                | 05.01.2000            |
| 5.        | Sudan                  | 09.04.2000            |
| 6.        | Chile                  | 10.08.2000            |
| 7.        | Argentina              | 30.08.2000            |
| 8.        | Guyana                 | 28.11.2000            |
| 9.        | Panama                 | 02.02.2001            |
| 10.       | Egypt                  | 03.02.2001            |
| 11.       | Colombia               | 05.03.2001            |
| 12.       | Cuba                   | 13.03.2002            |
| 13.       | Tunisia                | 07.05.2002            |
| 14.       | Palestine              | 29.08.2003            |
| 15.       | Canada                 | 13.10.2003            |
| 16.       | Uzbekistan             | 06.11.2003            |
| 17.       | Morocco                | 09.01.2004            |
| 18.       | Bulgaria               | 28.07.2004            |
| 19.       | Afghanistan            | 01.09.2004            |
| 20.       | Venezuela              | 02.09.2004            |
| 21.       | Namibia                | 24.02.2005            |
| 22. 23.   | Norway Saudi Arabia    | 17.06.2005            |
| 24.       | Mexico                 | 24.06.2005 21.10.2005 |
| 25.       | Indonesia              | 23.11.2005            |
| 26.       | Ecuador                | 18.07.2006            |
| 27.       | Romania                | 23.10.2006            |
| 28. 29.   | Kyrgyzstan Brazil      | 24.04.2007 12.09.2007 |
| 30.       | Serbia                 | 17.09.2007            |
| 31.       | Nigeria                | 15.10.2007            |
| 32.       | Philippines            | 05.10.2007            |
| 33.       | Czech Republic Ukraine | 19.11.2007 28.03.2008 |
| 34.       |                        |                       |
| 35.       | South Africa           | 04.06.2010            |
| 36. 37.   | IBSA Korea             | 18.10.2011 21.03.2012 |
| 38.       |                        | 03.04.2012            |
|           | Yemen                  |                       |
| 39.       | Bangladesh             | 10.02.2013            |
| 40. 41.   | Iran Iraq              | 04.05.2013 23.08.2013 |
| 42.       | Liberia                | 11.09.2013            |
| 43.       | Kuwait                 | 08.11.2013            |
| 44.       | Macedonia              | 17.12.2013            |
| 45.       | Bahrain                | 19.02.2014            |
| 46.       | Fiji                   | 19.11.2014            |
| 47. 48.   | Costa Rica Qatar       | 16.03.2015 25.03.2015 |
| 49.       | Mongolia               | 17.05.2015            |
| 50.       | Trinidad and Tobago    | 05.06.2015            |
| 51. 52.   | Turkmenistan Jordan    | 11.07.2015 11.10.2015 |
| 53.       | Maldives               | 11.10.2015            |

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