Varsities have to transform students as socially responsible citizens: Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu in Nellore

Nellore: Vice-President, M Venkaiah Naidu stressed the need to provide holistic education where it should change the students into persons with good character, impeccable integrity and strong morals who must be socially responsible citizens with empathy and compassion for the less fortunate.

Addressing the convocation of Vikrama Simhapuri University, in Nellore, on Tuesday, the Vice President expressed concern over the fact that none of our universities has figured among the top 100 universities of the world in Times Rankings. He emphasised the need to reorient the education system and improve the quality of teaching and research in the institutions of higher education.

"India was once known as Vishwaguru and knowledge-seekers from all over the world used to come and study at renowned learning centres like Nalanda and Takshasila. Our students must draw inspiration from our glorious past to create a magnificent future," he said.

Venkaiah Naidu suggested the need to step up the investment in education from the current 4.6 percent of GDP to 6 percent of GDP, as recommended by the NITI Aayog. For achieving the goal, our universities have to emerge as the hotspots of research, incubation, and innovation building a strong research ecosystem through collaborative, inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary research initiatives, he said. The Vice President urged the private sector to spend reasonable share on research and development and join hands with the universities. He appreciated Vikrama Simhapuri University's concept of 'College to Village' in this regard. Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Biswa Bhusan Harichandan and the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof R Sudarshan Rao were among the dignitaries who graced the occasion.