In a follow up action to the Conference of Vice Chancellors of Central Universities held in February 2013 and 2014 as well as the Conference of Directors of NITs held in November 2013, the President, in his address to a meeting of the Directors of Institute of Science and Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) at Rashtrapati Bhavan, touched on a very serious theme. He talked about the role of the youth of India in the task of nation building. India is a developing country. One needs to understand what it means to develop a country that contains almost one fourth of entire humanity on the globe. It is enormous task and should be understood in its right perspective. At the same time, we should realize that more than 50 per cent of India’s population consists of youth below 35 years of age. This shows the enormous manpower this country has in the shape of its youth. And it is the youth who shape the destiny of any country.
During six decades and half of our independence, we have marched far ahead along the road to progress. We have not yet reached the ultimate goal where we want to reach but we should not underestimate the progress that has been made. However, the area under discussion is of education. In this field also we have made much progress and the literacy rate is now hovering above 70 per cent which was below 30 per cent when India got freedom in 1947. Our education has expanded at all levels from primary to university level. We have also increased the number of scientific and technological institutes in the country. According to one estimate the number of central institutions nearly doubled from 55 to 106 during the Eleventh Plan period. This means that the number of students who are seeking admission in these institutes has doubled or increased three times. But the President has said that along with expansion the standard of education has not been maintained as it should have been. The quality of education has not gone up as was expected.
The President has very rightly said that the ultimate achievement is to be sought in the question as to how far is our youth contributing to the nation building process. The emphasis of modern education is on science and technology. This is the age of scientific enquiry and technological advancement. The type of education that is imparted to our young student in their colleges and training institutes should have the potential of arousing the initiative for originality and innovation among the students. There is vast scope for innovation and at the moment the level of innovation that we expect from our student community is not forthcoming. It was actually the first Prime Minister of India who lay due emphasis on science and technology as the main instruments of our progress. A structure was built on that edifice. The President very rightly said that science, education, research and innovation are the four pillars on which the development as well as the work culture of a nation rests. It means that our nation has to develop scientific temperament. This cannot happen unless we improve the delivery of education at all levels. The President advised that IISERs must teach sciences in an intellectually vibrant atmosphere of research. The President also touched upon an important aspect. He said that India has a number of scientific and technological institutes known for their high level. But despite that about two lakh Indian students seek admission in foreign universities and technical institutes whereas the situation should have been the reverse of it. Foreign students should have been seeking admission in our institutes if we had the reputation and level to that standard. We have the capability and as such we should work towards upgrading the level of education in our institutes. The quality of faculties has to be increased and the quality of research too has to improve. Innovative faculty should become sharper and our youth should be able to make new scientific discoveries that would ultimately help the country strengthen its infrastructure. The President has suggested developing proper linkages between advanced research centres and grassroots innovators.
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