The Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that education is the most powerful weapon which can transform the world. He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Andhra Pradesh Campus of Vellore Institute of Technology, in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh today. The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri N. Chandarababu Naidu, the Mininster for Health and Medical Education, Dr. Kamineni Srinivas and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.The Vice President said that educational institutions are the temples of learning and every student, who steps into them, must not only show respect to the Gurus, but also display complete dedication and discipline towards the entire process of learning. He further said that as per our ancient Guru-Shishya parampara, the teacher is the most venerated person by the disciple. Although modern day students get all the information they require at the click of a mouse by going to Google, it should be noted that Google can never replace a Guru, he added.The Vice President said that he firmly believed that Education is for Emancipation, Enlightenment, Empowerment, Employment and Empathy. He further said that education should become a powerful tool of social, cultural and economical transformation of the country with strong moral and ethical values forming the basis of such a transformation. Technology is changing so rapidly that students not only need to anticipate the future requirements but must be able to develop the technologies of tomorrow, he added.The Vice President said that India is also now in an advantageous position with 65 per cent of the population below 35 years. Higher Educational institutions and universities have a crucial role to play in unleashing their energies and realizing the demographic dividend, he added.The Vice President stressed on the Four Pillars of Learning as enunciated in 1996 UNESCO Commission on Education:
1. Learning to Know (KNOWLEDGE)
2. Learning to do (SKILLS)
3. Learning to be (PERSONALITY)
4. Learning to live together (Understanding, appreciation of interdependence)
In a lighter note, the Vice President said that he was told that VIT stands for Vellore Institute of Technology but he wished that this AP Campus of VIT will stand for:
• VISION
• INNOVATION
• TRANSFORMATION of the students entering this institute.