Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Nov 11: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh today said that technology is democratising education in this country with narrowing of the long-standing rural-urban divide.
Supplementing this is the Modi Govt’s game-changer National Education Policy NEP 2020, said Dr Jitendra Singh while speaking at the Ekal Bharat Lok Shiksha Parishad (BLSP) – CSR 2025 event here. These initiatives created a level playing field for students from the remotest corners of the country, he said. He described the education reforms introduced in recent years as having gone beyond academics to become “one of the best practices in governance.”
The Minister said that technology has empowered children in remote and underserved regions to compete confidently with their urban counterparts, transforming India’s educational landscape. “Children in far-flung areas are demonstrating a high degree of aspiration and determination to prove themselves equal to those living in better facilitated regions,” he said.
Sharing real-life examples, Dr. Jitendra Singh spoke about a young girl from Kashmir who studied 14 hours a day for eight months to crack the IIT entrance examination, and a tribal youth from Andhra Pradesh who, despite completing his education in a regional language-medium college due to lack of access, went on to secure All India Rank 4 in the Civil Services Examination. “Such stories reflect the aspirational surge among students in rural and tribal areas, who are now using technology and opportunity to their advantage,” he noted.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also praised Ekal Vidyalaya’s work in spreading education and values in remote regions, calling it a model of community participation. Inspired by the ideals of Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Ekal Vidyalaya operates over 21,000 single-teacher schools across northern India, reaching marginalised communities with both literacy and life skills. “Education through Ekal is not only about learning but also about building character and cultural grounding,” he said.
The Minister urged citizens and corporates to contribute towards building a self-sustaining education ecosystem, stressing that public participation is key to sustaining large-scale reforms. “If 50 crore Indians contribute even Rs 1,000 each annually, we can collectively generate Rs 50,000 crore for educational causes without relying solely on Government funding,” he said, calling for a shift from a dependency mindset to one of shared responsibility.
Referring to the growing emphasis on innovation and research, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that CSR allocations towards research and innovation have increased considerably in recent years, reflecting the government’s efforts to encourage synergy between education, industry and governance.
He also urged young students to view education not merely as a route to employment but as a means to innovation and entrepreneurship. “We must build an ecosystem where students see themselves as contributors and creators, not just job seekers,” he said, suggesting that companies could invest directly in students’ ideas as part of their CSR efforts.
Dr. Jitendra Singh concluded with a call for greater civic awareness and social ownership. Recounting an instance of a bridge washed away due to illegal mining, he said that true progress lies in collective responsibility. “We must realise that the schools, children, and infrastructure around us are part of our own extended ecosystem. Once that sense of belonging takes root, development becomes a natural outcome,” he remarked.
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