Make education affordable, qualitative: President

62nd convocation of Gujarat Vidyapith

Ahmedabad: "Every day, we see unprecedented violence all around us. At the heart of this violence is darkness, fear and mistrust. While we invent new modes of combating this ever spiralling violence, we must not forget the power of non-violence, dialogue and reason," President Pranab Mukherjee said.

Referring to the motto of Gujarat Vidyapith 'Sa Vidya Ya Vimuktaye' (education that liberates), he said the institute should continue to demonstrate that it is by educating the heart and mind of the youth that social rejuvenation on the path of non-violence is possible.

Many meritorious students leave the shores of our country and study abroad due to lack of institutes in India conforming to high standards of education. Not many international students come to India for higher studies either"

"Gandhiji had said and I quote: "Literary education is of no value, if it is not able to build up a sound character," Mukherjee said. "Nai Talim (introduced by Gandhi) infers charitra nirman or character building, whose relevance is increasing by the day. Without doubt, learning with value-orientation must guide our approach in education," the President said.

He also cited numerous challenges faced by country's higher education sector and noted that there is need for increasing access and making education affordable besides ensuring quality and pursue excellence.

"These are not contradictory objectives but complementary goals. Quality consciousness must be at the back of every initiative in our higher academic institutions.

"Many meritorious students leave the shores of our country and study abroad due to lack of institutes in India conforming to high standards of education. Not many international students come to India for higher studies either," Mukherjee said.

Student arrivals from US, Germany, France, South Korea, Australia, China and Singapore have dipped seriously -- 73 per cent in 2014, he said citing a report. "We must do all at our end to reverse this trend and make India emerge as a quality and affordable education destination for students outside," the President said and referred to ancient universities like Takshila and Nalanda while calling for renewed efforts to gain India's leadership role in higher education sector. The developmental challenges faced by our country call for an inspired response from the higher education system.

Quality and relevant research can help tide over our socio-economic problems, he said.

"To build a research eco-system, we need to adopt a multi-disciplinary approach, promote research at under-graduate level and develop scientific temper in the students," Mukherjee said. "India is home to a large population of the young.

Demographic dividend can occur only if greater number of competent and skilled professionals is produced by our higher educational and technical institutions.

"This calls for skill development initiatives on a massive scale," the President said. Gandhiji used a very special word for civilisation, ‘Sudhar’ (improvement), the President said.