Tamil Nadu - Salem   

‘Higher education should build good character’

SALEM: Higher education must ensure character-building and ethics among students since today’s web-based technical education does not inculcate such traits, said M. S. Ananth, Director, IIT - Madras.

Delivering the convocation address of the Vinayaka Mission’s Kirupananda Variyar Engineering College at Periya Seeragapadi on Sunday, Mr. Ananth pointed out that industrial education could put stress on the know-how approach, which in turn would worry educationists of the country.

Education had three components such as ‘Knowledge, Know-how and Character’ among which the last-mentioned one was essential.

“Our education system has evolved from ‘gurukkul,’ system in which students stayed in ‘gurukkuls’ where character-building and ethical standards were essentially taught.

Later it transformed into a monastery type in which the learning process had been, to some extent, democratised,” he said. Then it had evolved into a printing and industrial education, which underscored the know-how approach only. The IT revolution had prompted the students to have search engine-based knowledge sourcing from their houses.

Mr. Ananth asked the students to base their career on truth and fearlessness as Gandhiji had propagated during the large and only non-violent Independent movement, which was unique in the world. The country chose what was right such as secularism and democracy. It survived many drawbacks and achieved great results particularly after Green, White and Brown revolutions, which fed its millions.

India as a country was dynamic with its manufacturing and service sectors showing signs of tremendous development.

Vice-president N. V. Chandrasekar and Director N. Ramasamy were present at the function.

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