India (18/12/2021): The Vice President, M. Venkaiah Naidu today called for ‘Indianising’ the education system, based on India’s great wealth of ancient wisdom, knowledge traditions and heritage. Suggesting that the colonial education system has created an inferiority complex and diffidence in people, he called for a value-based transformation in the education system, as envisioned by the National Education Policy 2020. He also emphasised the need for India to emerge as a global hub of innovation, learning and intellectual leadership.
Inaugurating Rishihood University at a function in Delhi, the Vice President recalled that India was once hailed as the Vishwa Guru. “We had great institutions like Nalanda, Takshashila, and Pushpagiri where students from all corners of the world came to learn”, he said and added that India must regain that pre-eminent position.
Recalling that India has had a glorious parampara of holistic education, he called for reviving that tradition and transforming the educational landscape, and urged new universities like Rishihood to take the lead in this regard. Noting that education plays a vital role in the transformation of the nation, he called for taking up education as a ‘mission’.
Stressing the need for all-round improvement on the education front, he said the quality of research, teaching at all levels, rankings by international agencies, employability of graduates and many other aspects of the education system need to be toned up.
The Vice President said the National Education Policy seeks to address various issues and pave the way for India to become a Vishwa Guru once again. He said the NEP is an important milestone in our quest to drastically improve the quality indicators of education.
Describing NEP as a visionary document that can transform the education landscape in India, he said that it can lead to education becoming a holistic, value-based, and happy learning experience. “With emphasis on interdisciplinary learning, research and knowledge production, autonomy to institutions, multilingual education, and many such vital policy measures, we are moving towards a major change in the way education is imparted”, he noted.
Urging every educational institution to implement NEP in letter and spirit, the Vice President recalled the famous words of Swami Vivekananda: “We want that education by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, the intellect is expanded, and by which one can stand on one’s own feet”.
Referring to the important role of technology in democratising education and taking learning to the last mile, the Vice President said the untapped potential of the students can be harnessed for the larger good when good education is taken to the last mile.
Naidu urged teachers to inculcate the ability in students to handle difficult situations with equanimity and aplomb. That is what leadership is all about. And for developing such leadership capabilities, we need to draw lessons from our glorious past and the wisdom of rishis”, he added.
Suresh Prabhu, MP and Chancellor of Rishihood University, Dr. Chinmay Pandey, Co-founder Rishihood University and Pro-Vice Chancellor, Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya, Ashok Goel and Motilal Owal, both Co-founders of Rishihood University and others were present.
