STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee delivered lecture through video conferencing using the national knowledge network on the topic, ‘Youth and Nation-Building’ to students and faculty of institutes of higher learning on Tuesday.
Prof. R.D Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu also attended the lecture of the President.
Addressing the faculty and students, President said that India is a nation with a significant young population. Over six hundred million people in our country are below the age of 25 years and the way we nurture our youth into confident, capable and committed citizens will determine our country’s future. He said that the key to prepare them for nation building is through investment in educating the youth, in the sharpening of their mental faculties, technical skills, professional competence, and awareness about their social responsibilities. He further added that the youth have to shoulder the responsibility of nation-building and that can be achieved through the medium of education and training. Our education system must gear up to develop our youth by teaching them to control their lives, which can be done through character-building, healthcare, and sharpening the ability to learn and use experience for attainment of one’s goals, it must teach them to understand life through a study of history, science, religion and philosophy and it must also teach them to enjoy their lives through friendships and relationships, observance of nature, and study of art and literature. He stressed on providing value-based education to the youth by inculcating in them the spirit of democratic behaviour which calls for an appreciation of the rich diversity of our nation, assimilation of ideas, and accommodation for divergent or contrarian views. The President said gender equality is essential for building an inclusive society. Unless women participate on equal terms and in equal numbers in the process of nation-building, all efforts will remain incomplete. A spirit of reverence towards women must be instilled in our children in our homes and educational institutions. It must guide social conduct of an individual from an early age. He also stressed on building a Swachh India, Swasth India, a digitally-empowered India, educated and skilled India, and a tolerant, harmonious and peaceful India where the last person feels a part of the narrative of the country.
The President said for building the India of our dreams, we all have to work together to develop an eco-system which will bring together innovators, entrepreneurs and financiers, which will recognise merit and give primacy to science, technology and innovation. A facilitative and supportive environment for free play of all creative forces, be it in government, corporate sector or academia, has to be created.
The President further called upon all educational and civil services institutions to inculcate in their students and trainees a sense of social responsibility. He suggested some steps for enhancing their engagement with the community such as assigning them to teach in nearby government schools for at least one hour per month; deploying them to undertake community-based projects to uplift the condition of people in the vicinity and assigning them to identify problems faced by villages and work on innovative solutions which blend modern technology with local practices.
Others who attended the lecture include deans of various faculties, rectors, directors, faculty members of various departments, officers of the University, scholars and students.
