Vice President of China calls on President
Vice President of
China calls on President
His Excellency Mr. Li Yuanchao, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China called on President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan yesterday (November 6, 2015).
Pointing out that Mr. Yuanchao was the first ever Vice President of China to visit India, the President said India attaches high importance to its relations with China. India-China relations have witnessed all round progress in recent years. The two countries have expanded high level political exchanges. As two emerging economies, relations between the two countries have a regional and a global significance. India-China trade now stands at USD 70.59 billion. India welcomes Chinese companies to participate in ‘Make in India’.
The Chinese Vice President warmly reciprocated the President’s sentiments and said closer ties between the two countries will not only benefit both but also help usher in the Asian Century. He congratulated India on its rapid development and said China is determined to promote cooperation in all fields.
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Three-day
Visitor’s Conference at Rashtrapati Bhavan concluded yesterday
India must emerge as a higher education destination, says President in his concluding remarks
India must emerge as a higher education destination, says President in his concluding remarks
The first ever three-day Visitor’s Conference at Rashtrapati Bhavan concluded yesterday (November 6, 2015).
Addressing the concluding session, the President expressed hope that by next year, India will have at least 5 Central Higher Educational Institutions (CHEIs) in world’s top 200. He said that India must emerge as a higher education destination. He was confident that CHEIs will now open their wings to scale new heights.
The President urged those present to segregate the initiatives which do not require any funds and are within the control of the institutions themselves from the ones which need additional funding. He said that some of these are regular up-dation and revision of the curriculum, improving the quality of teaching by adopting new methods, imparting education that will build the character and value system of the students, better maintenance and utilization of the existing infrastructure, etc. He emphasized that if we work on these with renewed vigour, the results will be highly rewarding. He said that we could think of launching of Global Research Interactive Network (GRIN) as follow up to GIAN for funding research collaborations.
The President said that while he did see intensification of the involvement of alumni in the governance structure of the CHEIs, there is still a need to widen the area of interaction through sponsored research, endowment, setting up of chairs, donations, and in catalysing faculty recruitment. He called upon Ministry of HRD to act quickly to set up a pro-active single window to help CHEIs to conclude agreements in line with existing administrative and legal systems.
The President said that Innovator, entrepreneur and financier are the three crucial players of an innovation eco-system. In the context of “Start-up India, Stand-up India”, entrepreneurship acquires a new dimension.
Among the dignitaries present in the concluding session were Shri Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways; Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, Union Minister of Human Resource Development and Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers.
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Closing Remarks by the
President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee on the third day of Visitor’s
Conference on 06 November, 2015
1. At
the outset, I would like to compliment all the heads of central higher
educational institutions (CHEIs) for thoroughly analyzing the action taken
reports and participating in the discussions on the agenda items through group
work and panel discussion. I am happy to see the concrete outcomes which of
course will be studied in detail by my Secretariat and byMHRD for further
action.
2. This
is for the first time I decided to have this conference of 114 CHEIs from
fields as diverse as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, information technology,
fashion and social sciences which have come together at a single platform with
central universities, IITs, NITs, IISc and IISERs. This interaction has
provided us the golden opportunity to build a strong inter-linkage between all
these institutions for energizing the higher education sector in India.
Distinguished participants:
3. In
the past seven conferences held in the Rashtrapati Bhavan, we worked on building
bonds of co-operation amongst central universities, IIT, NITs, IISc and IISERs. We
have invested our time and energy in establishing linkages with foreign
institutions, industry and alumni. The progress that we have made is remarkable
but a lot more is to be done. I invite all those institutions who have
come here for the first time to join the family and build a strong
network for mutual benefit and for the benefit of the nation.
4. It
is now time to build linkages amongst all of you which will have multiplier
effect. I am happy to see ideas already beginning to float. The Banaras Hindu
University and the National Institute of Fashion Technology, capitalizing on
their respective strengths, can launch joint degree-level courses in fashion
technology at Varanasi. Likewise, languages universities can collaborate with
technical institutes to offer language courses using ICT. Agricultural
institutes can partner with IITs, NITs and IIITs to develop technologies
for improved agricultural practices. To provide impetus to
Institution-to-Institution (I-to-I) linkages, an e-platform could be started
where you can share ideas and take them forward. The e-platform hosted by the
Rashtrapati Bhavan, where all 114 institutions are connected, can be extended
to capture the new needs of this collaboration. I have asked my Secretariat to
take this initiative forward in collaboration with the CHEIs.
5. Here,
I will like to sound a note of caution. We have signed a large number of MOUs
with foreign institutions and with the industry. These will remain mere pieces
of paper if we do not vigorously follow-up on their implementation. Henceforth,
I will like the progress made on these MOUs to be included in the Action Taken
Report. MHRD may also kindly set up a mechanism for monitoring the progress.
Distinguished participants:
6. Many
of you have pointed out the shortage of resources and delay in sanctions/
approvals as impediments to new initiatives. Taking forward what Prof. C.N.R.
Rao had said on 4th November, I would like to make a suggestion
– let us segregate the initiatives which do not require any funds and are
within the control of the institutions themselves from the ones which need
additional funding. Some of these are regular up-dation and revision
of the curriculum, improving the quality of teaching by adopting new methods,
imparting education that will build the character and value system of the
students, better maintenance and utilization of the existing infrastructure, etc.
If we work on these with renewed vigour,
I assure you the
results will be highly rewarding. We have tried this in Rashtrapati
Bhavan. And it has worked. We have increased the activities manifold,
improved the look and feel of the campus, and completed the digitization of the
services, and all this in the budget that we were getting earlier. We are fast
moving towards being a smart township. We call it the 3 H Township – Humane,
Hitech and Heritage. The requirement of additional funds for all these
changes has been minimal.
For the new initiatives which
need additional funds, I am sure reasonable demands will be met by the
MHRD. I, on my part, will extend all help to MHRD for accessing
such funds. CHEIs could be incentivized to raise resources by
providing matching grants from government. We can also think of launching a
Global Research Interactive Network (GRIN) as follow-up to GIAN for funding
research collaborations.
Distinguished Participants:
7. In
this conference, we have spent considerable time on reviewing the progress on
the action taken on earlier decisions. Filling up vacant teaching
positions has been a priority all through. While I note with satisfaction
that the heads of most institutions have now been appointed, I hope that a
better picture of faculty position in your institutions will emerge when we
meet next. We are making progress on rankings. If we were to expedite action on
getting NAAC[1] accreditation,
working on the National Institutional Ranking Framework, and criteria
for international rankings, the quality of research and education in the
central universities, IITs and NITs will automatically improve. I note with
satisfaction the progress made on Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) and
increased utilization of NKN[2] and NMEICT[3].
It is my fond hope that by next year, we will have at least 5 CHEIs in world’s top
200. India must emerge as a higher education destination.
8. I
see an enthusiasm in the institutions for MOOCs and creation of
e-content. The recommendation of a working group on setting
up of education technology centres in NITs on the model of IIT
Kharagpur for generating e-content can be pursued.The last mile IT
connectivity problem of some institutions should be solved quickly for
effective delivery of MOOCs.
9. To
give shape to the various recommendations in the earlier conferences,
government has launched a number of schemes. These include “Unnat Bharat”,
“GIAN”, “UCHHATTAR AVISHKAR YOJANA, “ISHAN VIKAS” and “IMPRINT”. Our CHEIs must
get actively involved in these schemes and ensure that the intended results
are achieved in a time-bound manner. I presume that appropriate
financial allocations for these schemes would have been made. I would
request MHRD and other agencies concerned to set up a review and monitoring
mechanism for speedy implementation.
Distinguished participants:
10. I
am glad that the symbiotic relationship between teaching and research is
now being fully recognized. To produce good quality research and meet
the acute shortage of faculty, we have to give a further push to the award of
PhDs in our CHEIs.
11. While
I do see intensification of the involvement of alumni in the governance
structure of the CHEIs, there is still a need to widen the area of
interaction through sponsored research, endowment, setting up of chairs,
donations, and in catalysing faculty recruitment.
12. The
progress made in setting up centres of excellence is slow. However, a welcome
development in this area is that thecentral ministries are now
coming forward to fund centres of excellence to address the needs of
sector-specific technologies. The state governments are also showing interest
in setting up such centres. MHRD must act quickly to set up a
pro-active single window to help CHEIs to conclude agreements in line with
existing administrative and legal systems.
Distinguished participants:
13. Innovator,
entrepreneur and financier are the three crucial players of an innovation
eco-system. I am grateful to all theCHEIs for their overwhelming response to my
call for setting up innovation clubs and incubators, industry interface cells,
inspired teachers network and community development cells. Some of you have now
mentioned about entrepreneurship cells and development offices to attract
funding. I will like you to add setting up of these cells to
the list. In the context of “Start-up India, Stand-up India”,
entrepreneurship acquires a new dimension.
14. Our
institutes of higher learning must have a governance mechanism that supports
growth, collaboration and innovation. The institutions must become transparent,
accountable and responsive to the needs of their stakeholders. An
e-platform‘Brihaspati’ developed by IIT Kanpur for better academic
management can be studied by other institutions for adoption.
15. We
have received some very good suggestions on the engagement of CHEIs with the
community and society for sustainable and inclusive development. Some of the
suggestions made include:
i. Assigning
students to teach in nearby government schools for at least 12 hours
annually or one hour per month. Given the student base at the tertiary
level, this could potentially create 35 crore teaching hours. Besides helping
to mitigate the existing shortage of teachers at primary and secondary levels,
it will create in the minds of students a desire to enter the teaching
profession.
ii. Students may be
deployed to undertake community-based projects to uplift the condition of
people residing in nearby areas.
iii. Students may study
and identify problems faced by villages in the vicinity. Inter-disciplinary
teams can then work on innovative solutions which blend modern technology to
local practice.
Distinguished participants:
16. Rashtrapati
Bhavan and Ministry of AYUSH has recently collaborated to open an AYUSH
Wellness Centre to offer the integrated system of Indian medicine in the
President’s Estate. This facility has received an overwhelming response. You
too can think of a similar initiative in your campuses. It will deliver the
benefits of alternate systems of medicine to higher education networks,
and lead to its further refinement, innovation and research. I am sure
Ministry of AYUSH will extend a helping hand.
17. The
first Festival of Innovations was hosted in Rashtrapati Bhavan in March this
year. Many of your faculty members and students participated in the exhibition
and as members of Innovation Clubs. For the second Festival of Innovations to
be held in March 2016, I expect greater response and eager participation.
18. In
2015, the Rashtrapati Bhavan had organized a series of in-residence programmes
where 31 inspired teachers from central universities, 36 NIT scholars and 10
innovation scholars, besides 4 writers and artists spent one to three weeks as
my guests in the Rashtrapati Bhavan. In 2016, we intend to hold these
in-residence programmes for inspired teachers and students from remaining
central institutions, and award winning school teachers from States, besides innovation
scholars, artists and writers. The Secretariat will notify the schedules
shortly.
19. The
first Visitor’s Awards for Best University, Innovation and Research in central
universities were presented during the conference of vice chancellors this
year. The applications for the Second Visitor’s Awards have been invited. The
last date for submitting nominations is 15th November, 2015,
and these Awards will be presented in February, 2016. I look forward to an enthusiastic
response.
20. Since
this is the first Visitor’s Conference, some new institutions have joined the
group as invitees. In the next conference, they will be part of the whole. They
will be expected to report the progress on the recommendations made in the
earlier conferences as applicable to them, as well as the ones that are being
made in this Conference.
Distinguished
participants:
21. I
have listened to your recommendations carefully. I thank you again for your
keen participation and fruitful contribution to this Conference. As the
Visitor of your institutions, I take immense pride in your achievements. I am
confident that you will now open your wings to scale new heights. The
administrative ministries concerned are fully behind you. For
any assistance, my Secretariat is also available. With the hope to see you with
greater achievements and speedier progress next year, I conclude.
Thank you.
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