Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 22nd convocation at IIT Guwahati through video-conference today.
PM Modi congratulated the students for carrying on with their academic sessions and research work amid the pandemic.
He was proud of the way institutions like IITs are advancing today and said this energy for innovation to serve has kept our country alive for thousands of years.
The prime minister urged the youth to be future ready and future fit, saying its their dreams and aspirations which shape the future of India. He expressed happiness that IIT Guwahati has already started making efforts towards this direction.
He also spoke about the National Education Policy 2020 and said that it would transform India into an international education destination.
“The National Education Policy 2020 is meant for the needs of the 21st Century and to make India a global leader in science and technology, PM Modi said. He added that the NEP 2020 has been made multi-disciplinary and offers flexibility of choosing various courses and allows multiple entry and exit points.
The prime minister pointed out that the NEP also proposes a National Research Foundation for better coordination with all funding agencies regarding research funding and provide funds for all disciplines, be it science or humanities.
PM Modi said the NEP allows foreign universities to set up their offshore campuses in India, which would give global exposure to Indian students. He said NEP will establish India as major education destination to the World.
PM Modi added that the Northeast region is the center for India’s Act East Policy and gateway to India’s relations with South East Asia. The mainstay of relations with these countries have been Culture, Commerce, Connectivity and Capacity. He said education is going to be another new medium and IIT Guwahati can become its major center. This will also give the North East a new identity and new opportunities will also arise here.
PM Modi said that new opportunities are being created in the Northeast as the Government is laying a lot of emphasis for development of the infrastructure in the region especially Railways, Highways, Airways and Waterways.
The prime minister also expressed happiness over 300 young fellows being awarded PhD at the convocation and requested them continue their research for the betterment of the country. He urged the students to think about how their research can be linked to the possibilities of development of this region.
PM Modi further urged IIT Guwahati to establish a Center for Disaster management and risk reduction so that it can provide expertise in dealing with the disasters of the region.