IITS and Higher Education Institutes to focus on research work to solve societal problems, urged Vice Presidents M. Venkaiah Naidu
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu while inaugurating the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of IIT Delhi through a video conference emphasized that all IITs and higher education institutes should focus on the research work to find sustainable solutions to the societal problems faced by mankind.
He also said that the Indian institutions will be counted among the world’s best only when they start impacting the societies around them by developing optimal and sustainable solutions to the problems faced by the nation.
He also urged the private sector to collaborate with academia in identifying R & D projects which focus on finding solutions to societal problems and fund them liberally.
He also called upon IITians to pay attention to the problems faced by the farmers and rural India, and asked them to work not only for enhancing agri-production, but also give special focus on production of nutritious and protein-rich food.
He said that higher education institutions should work hand-in-hand with industry experts, and that these experts could guide the researchers in various areas so cutting-edge technology could be developed.
This type of collaboration will help in fast-tracking projects and produce quicker results, said VP Naidu
He also spoke about the National Education Policy which is aimed at radically changing the education system in India and promoting India as a global study destination.
VP Naidu also pointed out that only eight Indian institutions figured in the top 500 globally. He said that this situation has to change and there has to be a collective action from all the stakeholders – governments, universities, educationists and the private sector.
VP Naidu also praised IIT Delhi for emerging as a leader in the entrepreneurship space and said, “It is good to note that institutions such as IIT Delhi are producing job providers rather than job seekers and becoming trendsetters for other institutions in the country.”
The Vice President also released the Diamond Jubilee logo and the IIT Delhi 2030 strategy document.
The occasion was attended by Education Minister Ramesh Nishank Pokhriyal, Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Director of IIT Delhi, and others.