Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Jan 7: President Pranab Mukherjee today delivered his New Year message to the students and the faculty of the Central University of Kashmir (CUK), Central Universities of other States, National Institute of Technologies (NITs), National Institute of Technologies (NITs) across the Country, through video conferencing facility using National Knowledge Network (NKN).
Mukherjee wished the Vice-Chancellor of Universities, Directors of the Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs) and National Institute of Technologies (NITs) heads of other academic institutions, faculty members and students, a very happy and prosperous New Year-2014.
The video conferencing was held at the Zainakote Campus of CUK where Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdul Wahid, Registrar, Prof. Muhammad Afzal Zargar, Deans of Schools, Heads of Departments, other employees of the University and students took part.
“Education is the true alchemy that can bring India to its next golden age. My first and foremost concern is the quality of education in our country. The standard of higher education has a direct relation with the development of a nation and the quality of lives of its citizens,” Mukherjee said.
The president said between Sixth Century BC and twelfth Century AD, our seats of higher learning – Nalanda, Takshashila, Vikramashila, Valabhi, Somapura and Odantapuri – dominated the world which were visited by knowledge seekers from round the world. But now, many bright Indian students go abroad for higher studies.
“Nobel laureates Har Gobind Khorana, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, Amartya Sen and Venkatraman Ramakrishnan did their graduate or post-graduate studies in Indian universities before they went abroad to pursue higher learning,” he said.
The President added it is due to the lack of research facilities and opportunities of creating an innovative thinking to nurture and retain talent that our higher education system that is capable of producing world class scholars loses them to foreign institutions
“Our institutions must increase their potential for research and promote an ecosystem conducive for creativity and innovation. What we need today are mere collaborative partnerships on cutting edge technologies and better linkages with industries and greater industrialization,” he said.
He added this will not only encourage meritorious students to do research but will also attract talent from foreign universities. In a country of about 1.2 billion people, only eight Indians have so far won the Noble Prize. This country is eager to see an increase in the number.
Mukherjee said the institutions must arrange a common platform of resources to be used by all faculty members for skill enhancement and knowledge gathering to bring about qualitative changes in teaching.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel