Sameep: New govt initiative sending diplomats back to the classroom takes off
Under this external affairs ministry initiative, serving diplomats visit schools and colleges in their hometowns and enlighten students on foreign policy as well as career options in the field.
Raghoo Puri, a young Indian diplomat posted at the Indian embassy in Berlin, visited Jalandhar last week only to be inundated in questions.
Around 150 students of the Swami Sant Das Public School quizzed the diplomat on many aspects of his job as part of a unique scheme of the external affairs ministry – titled ‘Sameep’ – on Saturday. Under this initiative, serving diplomats visit schools and colleges in their hometowns and enlighten students on foreign policy as well as career options in the field.
Though Puri was not authorised to speak to the media, sources said students of Class 9 to 11 had many a question in store for him.
“What does a diplomat do?”
“What is your professional life all about?”
“How did you crack the civil services examination?”
Puri, the only foreign diplomat to emerge from the educational institution, answered every wide-eyed query to the best of his abilities.
The biggest incentive for diplomats participating in the initiative, rolled out on a voluntary basis, is the opportunity to be at home for a change. Puri’s vacation ends on January 9, after which he will head back to Berlin.
“The objective of the initiative is to familiarise school and college students with the role and functions of the ministry of external affairs. In other words, we introduce students to the key elements of India’s foreign policy and our diplomatic achievements in a simple manner,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had told HT earlier.
“At present, the initiative is being taken up purely on a voluntary basis. The officers will be guided by the XP (external publicity) division,” Kumar added.