Technology propelled challenges, opportunities in the new world

India has shown its technological prowess in various initiatives like UPI, Direct Benefit Transfer, Aadhaar and we must build upon this strength and make a future-ready workforce ready to embrace the changes arising out of Industrial Revolution 4.0. The rising number of unicorns in the country was an indicator of a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem and called for preparing the students to become job givers and not just job seekers. - Dharmendra Pradhan

New Delhi: The Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan observed that the age of incremental change was over and called upon higher educational institutes to target exponential growth.

Speaking at the two day conference of Vice Chancellors of Central Universities and Directors of Institutions of National Importance which concluded on Monday evening, he said technology had propelled the challenges and opportunities in the new world. India has shown its technological prowess in various initiatives like UPI, Direct Benefit Transfer, Aadhar and we must build upon this strength and make a future-ready workforce ready to embrace the changes arising out of Industrial Revolution 4.0.

Regarding entrepreneurship, he said the rising number of unicorns in the country was an indicator of a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem and called for preparing the students to become job givers and not just job seekers.

He referred to various initiatives taken by the Government in the realm of digital education and called for leveraging technology to further democratize education. He also called for further strengthening alumni network and engage efforts being taken in the area of internationalisation of education in India, including the Study in India program.

In different sessions, the Conference deliberated on various topics such as - International rankings of Higher Education Institutions; collaboration between Academia-Industry and policymakers; Integrating School, Higher and Vocational education; Education and Research in emerging and disruptive technologies. It gave suggestions on how Indian institutions can improve their performance and attain better world rankings.

The two day conference was inaugurated by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind.