Research is the key, Pranab Mukherjee tells universities
Innovation alone can help make a mark globally, says President.
Hyderabad: President Pranab Mukherjee exhorted universities in the country to focus on research and innovation, to make a mark internationally. He said that Indian institutions were lagging behind prestigious institutions in the world because they were found wanting in these areas.
Mr Mukherjee was invited to be the chief guest at the OU centenary inaugural meet that was held at A Grounds on Wednesday. In his speech, the President laid emphasis on the industry-institution interface to give research studies a big fillip.
“Funding by the state is not always possible. The industry needs to chip in and support projects in educational institutions, so that they can occupy their rightful place internationally,” he said.
The President also spoke about how higher education in the country had changed over time “Higher education in the country was on par with international standards for 1,500 to 1,600 years. Ancient universities like Takshashila and Nalanda were known the world over at the time. However, the situation is very different now,” he said.
To drive home his point, the President said that there were over 757 universities in the country, including IITs, NITs, and IIMs, but not many of them were counted among the best institutions in the world. “Can we be satisfied with a handful of IITs and NITs on the list? We shall have to develop universities as temples of modern learning, so that there is a constant exchange of ideas and views between the faculty and students. This includes international students and professors,” he said.
Even though the older IITs boast of hundred percent campus placements, they are lagging in research.
The President recounted a conversation with that he had had with the director of IIT Kharagpur in 2013. The director had mentioned that they had a hundred percent placement record. “And when I asked the IIT Director how many students had gone for research studies, he said that quite a few went abroad for research, but none in India,” he said.
Mr Mukherjee said that Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam, had established the university in 1917, with the goal of making it a world-class institution. “A hundred years have passed. Dear students and faculty, I call upon you to focus on research and innovation, and to reflect on the situation after 10 to 15 years. Then you can judge the transition OU undergoes since its centenary year,” he said.
Cultural programmes highlight of the day
Cultural performances, that included Telangana folk songs by Telangana Samskruthika Saradhi troupe, special song and videos highlighting the hundred years of journey kept the audience engaged for nearly 2.5 hours at OU centenary inaugural meeting.
The main programme began at about 12.30 pm after President Pranab Mukherjee entered the venue. Crowds were seated in their seats a few hours before time, and they were entertained with folk songs by male and female singers. In between, a hundred school students, all dressed in white, sang Sare Jahan Se Achha.
Also, OU special song written by lyricist Suddala Ashok Teja was played on the occasion to cheers from the gathering.
The special videos (in Telugu and English) about Osmania University’s history and its journey over the last hundred years were also played on big LED screens set up inside the venue.
Meanwhile, about 200 CCTV cameras were installed for surveillance. This is believed to have stopped some students from resorting to sloganeering and protests.