Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday said the education should ensure holistic development, while advising students to think of becoming entrepreneurs or job givers and not merely job seekers.
Addressing a gathering at inaugural ceremony of the Academic & Seminar Complex and laying the foundation stone for Students and Research Scholars’ Hostel at Mizoram University, in Aizawl, the Vice President said: “Better infrastructure creates better conditions for quality learning to take place.”
Stating that education must lay the foundation for a strong character with uncompromising integrity, ethical values and inclusive outlook, the Vice President said: “It is imperative for today’s youngsters to be the torchbearers of a New India that will take its rightful place in the comity of nations.”
He also said that the education must aim at holistic development of an individual by imbuing the right qualities of head and heart.
Stating that the biggest strength of our country is the human resource capital—today about 65 per cent of the population being under 35 years of age, he said: “We need to fully tap this human resource potential to make India a leading economic power in the world. For that to happen, institutions like Mizoram University must play a pivotal role and reorient their syllabi as also the teaching methods.”
Talking about the problems the country is still grappling with such as poverty, illiteracy, atrocities on women and weaker sections, religious fundamentalism and terrorism, he said: “We have to collectively strive to eradicate various problems hampering the progress of the country.”
Stating that students are the future citizens of the country and in this globalised, highly competitive era, possessing a graduation or post-graduation degree was not enough, he said: “The universities in collaboration with the industries must initiate training programmes that are in tune with the demands of the market. On its part, the government has launched a massive Skill India programme to provide employment avenues to lakhs of youth across India.”
“The students must utilize various opportunities provided by the Government of India particularly for improvement of skills, through various skill development courses…You should also consider becoming entrepreneurs, job givers and not merely job seekers. You have a number of alternative career paths. Choose the one that you feel passionate about and work to build up your skillset accordingly,” he said.
The Vice President said with the Union Government’s Look East and Act East policy, “a lot many opportunities will most likely open up”, and advised everyone to “to keep yourself aware of emerging opportunities and seize them- first to enhance your knowledge and later to access career opportunities.”
He suggested students to “not to tread on beaten paths. Be creative, innovative and explore unchartered territories for making a mark in your career”.