The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, graced the convocation ceremony of NIT Jamshedpur at Jamshedpur, Jharkhand today (December 29, 2025). Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the pace of technological change in the present era is perhaps unprecedented.
While these changes are creating new opportunities, they are also giving rise to new challenges. Technological advancements are bringing about transformations in education, agriculture, healthcare, communication, and energy production. However, the misuse of modern technologies is leading to an increase in cybercrime and environmental damage from e-waste.
Key stakeholders like NIT Jamshedpur are expected to participate in controlling and mitigating the negative impacts of modern technologies on the general public and society. They should not only find solutions but also collaborate with other institutions and industries to transform these solutions into sustainable and lasting ones.
The President said that educational institutions are not merely centers for providing education and degrees, but they are also major centers of research and ‘intellectual laboratories’ of the nation. It is here that the vision for the country's future takes shape.
Engineers educated at institutions like NITs should play the role of nation-builders who utilize technological advancements as a means for human welfare. She underlined that the reputation of any higher education institution should not be judged solely by its rankings or placements, but also by the contributions that the institution and its students make to society and the nation.
The President said that we aim to build Viksit Bharat by 2047. Promoting research, innovation, and a vibrant startup culture, and developing our youth into a skilled workforce are crucial to achieving this goal. She stated that leading institutions like NITs should focus even more on research and innovation.
With their contributions, India will be able to establish itself as a 'Knowledge Superpower'. The President said that due to government's efforts, traditional sectors, as well as non-traditional sectors like defense, space, and atomic energy, are providing opportunities for young people to establish enterprises.
Technologically skilled young people, like students of NIT Jamshedpur, can utilize these opportunities to create employment not only for themselves but also for others. The President said that the dream of a Viksit Bharat will not be fulfilled merely by making high buildings or a powerful economy, but by creating a society where even the person at the lowest rung of society has equal opportunities and means to live a life of dignity.
She said that education and knowledge will only be considered useful when their benefits reach the common people. She advised them to remember that an invention without compassion can only create a machine, but innovation driven by compassion proves to be a boon for society.