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Higher education should build good character, says IIT-Madras Director

Photo: P. Goutham

Proud moment: IIT Madras Director M.S. Ananth handing over the degree certificate to a student at the Graduation Day of Vinayaka Mission’s Kirupananda Variyar Engineering College in Salem on Sunday. —

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. Anand, Director, IIT - Madras.

Delivering the convocation address of the Vinayaka Mission’s Kirupananda Variyar Engineering College at Periya Seeragapadi on Sunday, Mr. Anand 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. Anand 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.

In fact manufacturing industry had recorded 12 per cent growth and would emerge as a leading sector in the country in 25 years from now. Here we have the ‘gun and butter’ dialogue spending on defence and development equally.

He asked the teachers to be facilitators of learning with constant update and wanted the students to be ‘future challengers,’ to lead the country in the days to come.

He said good institutions had produced students with good character.

Principal A. Nagappan in his presidential address pointed out that the institution had facilitated students to become professionals.

He said that 722 engineering students, 202 post graduates and seven research scholars were conferred degrees.

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

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