Super 30 students to get Japan varsity scholarship

, Sept 11: A Japanese university has decided to grant scholarships to students of

's celebrated coaching centre Super 30, known for sending underprivileged students to IITs.

Super 30 founder Anand Kumar said representatives from the University of Tokyo in Japan visited their campus on Wednesday, and spoke to students about the emerging opportunities in Japan.

Super 30 has helped 281 students crack the prestigious IIT JEE -- the joint entrance examination for the Indian Institutes of Technology -- in the past 10 years.

"We have heard a lot about Super 30," said Jonathan Woodward, project associate and professor at the university's department of chemistry.

"It (Super 30) is a remarkable thing. The Japanese media has also documented it. Now, we are here to see how bright students from Super 30 can make it to Japan for advance studies. All that we need is talent. If students are poor, they can get full scholarship," he said.

Woodward was accompanied by Hiroshi Yoshino, director of University of Tokyo India operation, and Takako Hayashi, project officer at undergraduate admission office.

Earlier this year, Anand Kumar was invited to the University of Tokyo as part of a programme to attract Indian students, especially from Bihar.

Woodward said studying in Japan has been made easier after English-medium courses were introduced.

"We have started English medium undergraduate and post-graduate courses to remove the foreign language barrier," he said.

Yoichi Itoh, STB Research Institute chief economist, was the first to make a film on Super 30 for NHK Channel, which was later made into a hour-long documentary.

Japan' Amazon TV, Kansai Telecasting Corporation and TV Man Union have also made separate films on Super 30 after visiting Patna. Former Miss Japan Norika Fujiwara came to Patna as part of the TV Man Union team.

"I hope more students get opportunity to study there," Anand Kumar said.

IANS