GANDHINAGAR, Sept 12:
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has called for synergy between the storehouses of knowledge in the universities with the human resources for nation building.
Addressing the valedictory function of Prof Bhikhu Parekh Seminar on ‘Qualitative Improvement in Higher Education’, organised by Gujarat Government’s Higher Education Department, at Mahatma Mandir here last evening, Mr Modi recalled that universities at Nalanda, Taxashila and Vallabhi are 1,800 years old. Ironically,theses centres of excellence had maintained their distinction even during the 800 years of invasions in the medieval period, but unfortunately lost the soul and spirit in the post-Independence period.
He called for the need to free the universities from the burden of administrative rigmarole to let them focus on teaching and research. He listed the areas in which India could excel and bridge the huge gap – notably in defence equipment, shipping and automobile sectors. He said the Gujarat government has introduced training programmes for skill development, raising the importance of it is in Gujarat.
Mr Modi drew comparison of yesterday’s seminar aimed at invoking new ideas for higher education in the 21st Century to Swami Vivekanand’s spiritual speech eulogising India’s spirit of ‘vasudhaiva kutumbakam’ that inspired America this day in the 19th Century – in sharp contrast to the inhuman terror attack that shocked America this day in the 20th Century.
He suggested that the universities become self-reliant, shared their knowledge in events like Krishi Mahotsav and Jyotigram projects. He suggested law students take internship while learning and engineering students’ exposure in development projects, he asked. There is need to link the universities to explosion of knowledge around the world.
Lord Bhikhu Parekh welcomed the initiative to improve quality of higher education at seminars through discussion. He inspired the students to go abroad for higher studies and research, exchange of faculties between Indian and foreign universities.
Others who spoke and attended the one-day seminar included Gujarat’s Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma, Industries Minister Saurabh Patel, Minister of State for Education Vasuben Trivedi, vice-chancellors and registrar of universities, academics and researchers. (UNI)
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