Revised

Operational Guidelines

of the

Language Related Market Access Facilitation Initiative

in the Japanese IT Market

( LRMAFI)

 

 

As amended upto 08/05/06

 

 

A scheme approved
by
Department of Commerce,
Ministry of Commerce & Industry,
Govt. of India

 

 

OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES

 

 

MARKET ACCESS FACILITATION INITIATIVE
IN THE JAPANESE IT MARKET

  

  

 

 

PART-I

 

 

1.0                   Scope and Objective of Language Related Market Access Facilitation Initiative (LRMAFI)

 

1.1                   Export promotion, market diversification and removal of market access  barriers overseas continue to be the thrust areas for the Government of India for accelerating the tempo of growth in India’s software exports.  In order to give a new impetus to Indian exporters for overcoming the language barrier for diversification of their export into the Japanese IT market, especially in view of the slowdown in US and other major economies being noticed in the world and also to motivate and encourage IT students to take interest in developing knowledge of reading, writing and communication in the Japanese language side by side with their IT training and education, and obtaining a Japanese language proficiency certificate, the Language Related Market Access Facilitation Initiative (LRMAFI) has now been put under operation  through Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) by the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, to support the following programmes :-

 

 

1.1 (a)              Financial Assistance to Indian Exporters registered with ESC.

 

1.1 (a)(i)          Financial assistance will be provided to any exporter who fulfils the following eligibility criteria:

 

• He/she has to be registered with Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC);

• He/she has already got his/her IT professionals / personnel trained in the Japanese language; and

• His/her IT professionals/ personnel have secured the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) certificates - level IV / higher level or Business Japanese Proficiency Test (BJT ) (score 200 to 319 and level J4 or above score and higher level) certificate.

 

1.1(a)(ii)          Financial assistance to the exporter concerned will be by way of reimbursement of 50% of the actual tuition fees paid ( subject to deduction of 5 % administrative service charges by ESC ) by him/her to any of the  Japanese language training institutions listed in Annexure IV on account of training his/her IT professionals/personnel in the Japanese language and obtaining a certificate for having successfully passed the JLPT or BJT (score 200 to 319 and level J4 or above score and higher level).

 

1.1 (a)(iii)        However, the maximum ceiling of financial assistance to the exporter concerned shall not exceed Rs.10,000/- (Rupees ten thousand only) per IT professional / personnel (who has already secured the JLPT OR BJT (score 200 to 319 and level J4 or above score and higher level) of the exporter concerned in any financial year.

 

1.1 (a)(iv)        In case the exporter has obtained reimbursement earlier by way of part financial assistance (see para 1.2) under this Initiative for training his/her same IT professional / personnel in the Japanese language and for their securing level IV JLPT certificate / level J4 BJT certificate, the total quantum of 50% reimbursement (of the tuition fees paid by the exporter concerned to any of the Japanese language Institutions listed in Annexure IV) on the basis of his/her claim application for obtaining JLPT or BJT (score 320 to 419 and level J3 or above score and higher level) certificate (s) and the amount of 50% reimbursement already paid to the same exporter by way of part financial assistance on his/her claim for obtaining JLPT level IV / BJT level J4 Certificate together, shall not exceed Rs.10,000/- (Rupees Ten thousand only) per IT professional/personnel in any financial year.

 

1.1(a) (v)         An exporter’s claim application shall also be entertained under this Initiative for 50% reimbursement of the tuition fees paid by him/ her to any of the  Japanese language institutions listed in Annexure IV for training his/ her IT professionals/ personnel and obtaining the JLPT level III/ higher level or BJT (score 320 to 419 and level J3 or above score and higher level) certificate in a subsequent financial year if he/ she has already obtained part financial assistance for the same IT professional/ personnel in any earlier financial year for obtaining the JLPT level IV / BJT level J4 certificate. However, the maximum ceiling of reimbursement in two installments under this Initiative per IT professional/ personnel for obtaining the JLPT level IV, III/ higher level certificate or BJT (score 200 to 319, 320 to 419 and level J4, J3 or above score and higher level) certificate  shall  not  exceed Rs. 10,000/- (Rs. Ten thousand) per IT professional/ personnel of the exporter concerned.

 

1.1 (a)(v)(i)     5 % administrative service charges will be deducted from the total amount to be disbursed to each of the IT software member firms of the Council under LRMAFI for the Japanese IT market on account of publicity expenses of the scheme. 

 

1.1 (a)(vi)        An illustration is given below for calculation of the total quantum of financial assistance based on the exporter’s claim application:

 

SCENARIO I

 

 

OR

                       

SCENARIO II

 

  

 

 

 

1.1 (b)             Financial Assistance to Indian IT Students

 

1.1(b)(i)           Financial assistance will be provided to any student who fulfils the following eligibility criteria:

 

• He/she is studying IT course in any of the institutions which fall under any of the institutions listed under para No. 1.1 (c); and

   

• He/she who has simultaneously also learned the Japanese language and obtained the Japanese Language Proficiency Test/ higher level or Business Japanese Proficiency Test ( BJT )  (score 200 to 319 and level J4 or above score and higher level) certificate

 

1.1(b)(ii)          Financial assistance to the IT student concerned will be by way of reimbursement of 50% of the actual tuition fees (paid by him/her to any of the  Japanese language institutions listed in Annexure IV on account of his/her training in the Japanese language and obtaining the certificate for having successfully passed the JLPT or BJT (score 200 to 319 and level J4 or above score and higher level).

 

 

1.1(b)(iii)         However, the maximum ceiling of financial assistance to the student concerned shall not exceed Rs.10,000/- (Rupees ten thousand only) in any financial year for obtaining the JLPT level – III/ higher level certificate or BJT (score 320 to 419 and level J3 or above score and higher level certificate.

 

 

1.1(b)(iv)        In case the student concerned has obtained reimbursement earlier by way of part financial assistance (see para 1.2) under this Initiative for learning the Japanese language and obtaining the JLPT level IV / BJT (score 200 to 319 and level J4 ) certificate, the total quantum of 50% reimbursement of the tuition fees paid by him/her to any of the Japanese language institutions listed in Annexure IV for learning the Japanese language and obtaining a certificate for having successfully passed the JLPT (level III / higher level) or BJT (score 320 to 419 and level J3 or above score and higher level) and the amount of 50% reimbursement already paid to the same student by way of part financial assistance for obtaining the JLPT level IV / BJT (score 200 to 319 and level J4 ) certificate together, shall not exceed Rs.10,000/- (Rupees ten thousand only)

 

 

1.1(b)(v)          An IT student’s claim application shall also be entertained under this Initiative for 50% reimbursement of the tuition fees paid by him/ her to any of the  Japanese language institutions listed in Annexure IV  for learning the Japanese language and obtaining the JLPT level III/ higher level or BJT  (score 320 to 419 and level J3 or above score and higher level) certificate in a subsequent financial year, if he/ she has already obtained part financial assistance in any earlier financial year for obtaining the JLPT level IV  / BJT (score 200 to 319 and level J4 ) certificate. However, the maximum ceiling of reimbursement in two installments under this Initiative for obtaining the JLPT level IV, III/ higher level certificate or BJT (score 200 TO 319, 320 to 419 and level J4, J3 or above score and higher level) certificate shall not exceed Rs. 10,000/- (Rs. Ten Thousand only) per IT student concerned.

 

 

 

1.1(b)(vi)        An illustration is given below for calculation of the total quantum of financial assistance based on the IT student’s claim application:

           

SCENARIO I

 

 

 

SCENARIO II

 

 

 

 

1.1( c)  List of Institutions

• Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)

• Indian Institute of Science (IIS)

• Indian Institutes of Management (IIMS) / Regional Management Colleges and Institutes

• Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITS)

• Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs) / Engineering Colleges recognised by AICTE/ Deemed Universities.

• Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)

• BITS

• Private and Public Sector Institutions accredited under the DOEACC’s Scheme / AICTE scheme for       conducting specified levels of IT courses such as ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ levels or any other institution providing an equivalent level and quality of IT education and training in India.

 

 

 

1.2            Part Financial Assistance to JLPT Test level IV / BJT ( score 200 to 319 and level J4 )Certificate Holder Applicant

 

In order to encourage (i) exporters who want to have their IT professional/personnel trained in the Japanese language and obtain a Japanese language proficiency test certificate level IV / Business Japanese proficiency test certificate level J4 ( score 200 to 319 ), and also to encourage (ii) IT students from any of the IT institutions listed under para 1.1(c) earlier to learn the Japanese language and to obtain the Japanese language proficiency test certificate level IV / Business Japanese proficiency test certificate level J4 ( score 200 to 319 ) , part financial assistance may be provided to the extent of 50% of the total tuition fees paid to any of  the Japanese language institutions  listed in Annexure IV per IT student or per IT professional/personnel, but  the maximum  ceiling  of  reimbursement shall not exceed Rs. 5000/- (Rupees five thousand only)per IT student or per IT professional /personnel of any exporter.

 

 

 

2.0                                      ADMINISTRATION OF THE INITIATIVE

 

 

2(a)                 The utilisation of the Initiative is administered through Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) under the MAI Scheme of  the Department of Commerce, Government of India, Udyog Bhavan, New Delhi – 110 011

 

2(b)                 Budget allocation to Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) for implementation of the above reimbursement activities under this Initiative is finalised under the MAI Scheme of the Department of Commerce, Government of India, Udyog Bhavan, New Delhi – 110 011.

 

 

2(c)                  Each beneficiary has to submit his reimbursement claim within a period of 4 (four) months from the date of  the JLP Test or BJT  certificate issued by the test conducting organizations/the Japan Foundation/JETRO  as the case may be; otherwise their claim application will not be entertained.

 

2(d)                 Reimbursement of the tuition fee on lines indicated above will be available to the beneficiary as per the procedure indicated under para 4.2 for claim processing and reimbursement.

 

 

 

 

3.0                    DOCUMENTATION FOR REIMBURSEMENT TO

                            (i) EXPORTERS WHO ARE REGISTERED WITH ESC AND

                                (ii) IT STUDENTS FROM ANY OF THE INSTITUTIONS LISTED EARLIER 

 

 

 

3.1                                      Exporters Registered with ESC

 

An exporter applicant is required to submit the following documents to the Council for claiming financial assistance under this Initiative:

 

(i)                    Claim Form duly completed and signed as per the prescribed format (Annex I)

 

(ii)                   A copy of the certificate from the Principal /Director of the Japanese language Institution concerned as per sample format. (Annex II);

 

(iii)                  Copy of BJT (score 200 to 319 and level J4 or above score and higher level) score card /JLPT level IV or III or higher level score card and certificate attested by the Director / Principal of the Japanese language institution concerned;

 

(iv)                 Copy of the IT Educational Certificate of each of the IT professionals/personnel for whom the exporter concerned paid tuition fees for learning the Japanese language and obtaining a JLPT/ BJT certificate as referred to earlier.

 

(v)                   A letter on the company letterhead of the software member exporter of the Council forwarding the claim application(s) along with all the requisite supporting documents has to be addressed to the Executive Director, Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC), New Delhi.

 

 

 

3.2                                      IT STUDENTS

 

An IT student applicant is required to submit the following documents to the Council for claiming financial assistance under this Initiative:

 

(i)                    Claim Form duly completed and signed as per the prescribed format (Annex III)

 

(ii)                   A copy of the Certificate from the Principal/Director of the Japanese language institution Institute concerned as per sample format Annex II);

 

(iii)                  Copy of BJT (score 200 to 319 and level J4 or above score and higher level) score card /JLPT level IV or III or higher level score card and certificate attested by the Director/ Principal of the Japanese language institution concerned.

 

(iv)                 A letter forwarding the claim application along with all the requisite supporting documents has to be addressed by the IT student concerned to the Execu