The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that good quality education was one of the most potent ways to reduce poverty, achieve gender equality, and create more jobs. He said that improving the quality of education, revamping the curriculum to teach Indian values and transforming classrooms into centres of joyful learning was the way forward.Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the CMR University Campus, in Bengaluru today, Shri Naidu stressed upon the need to keep innovating curricula, infrastructure, pedagogy, teaching and examination methodology and our technology tools so that the students are well prepared to face the challenges of 21st century. The Vice President asked teachers and educational institutions such as the CMR to cultivate quest for innovation and spirit of scientific thinking in children. He said that such endeavours would help us overcome the most pressing problems of the 21st century, from mitigating climate change to cleaner energy, from ensuring better agricultural productivity to water conservation, from combating hunger to efficient waste management.Saying that India holds an important place in the global education arena, Shri Naidu stressed the need to improve the quality of education to suit to the requirements of the world. He opined that India cannot continue with sub-optimal efficiency at the crucial juncture in our history where education, knowledge and skill define country’s soft power.
The Vice President also stressed upon the need to invest more resources and energy to further strengthen our education system, starting from the roots, from primary, all the way up to post-doctoral education.Shri Naidu said that India cannot suffer from a wasted development opportunity because of failure to invest in this tremendous human capital. There is an urgent need to revamp the education system to realise the socio-economic benefits of India’s favourable demographic dividend, he added.The Vice President called upon Educational Institutions and the private sector to collaborate and work hand in hand with the government to set higher benchmarks for education and training in the country. He also urged them to make use of flagship programs like Skill India, Make in India, Start-Up India and Stand-Up India to skill and train the youth of the country and provide them with education and employment opportunities. Shri Naidu observed that Innovation and Entrepreneurship were the twin engines that propel India to a new era of economic prosperity and social inclusion. He said that it was time to make India the favourable environment for innovation and the most attractive destination for enterprise.Asking the younger generation to strive to build a new India that breaks free from prejudice, superstition and barriers that hold us back, Shri Naidu advised them to rise above the narrow boundaries of race, caste, gender, economic status and profession that divide us and celebrate country’s infinite diversity.The Chancellor, CMR University, Dr. Sabitha Ramamurthy, the Member of Parliament & Chairman, CMR Group of Institutions, Shri K.C. Ramamurthy and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.