If a student turns out to be an unemployed youth after about 20 years of education, the fault lies not with the educational system but with the parents for failing in their duty to supervise and the student himself for not showing enough involvement in studies, said M.V. Muthuramalingam, chairman, Velammal group of educational institutions.
Addressing the sixth college day celebrations of Velammal College of Engineering and Technology here on Saturday, he said gone were the days when he felt elated to visit school and college functions. “These days I am scared of visiting such functions because of increasing number of unemployed youth involving in criminal activities. I don’t want any of my students to be unemployed,” he said.
Urging students not be carried away by film stars, he said that an educational institution was a place not only to get educated but also to get disciplined. “Don’t get influenced by bad movies. By doing so, you’ll be spoiling yourself as well as your parent’s dreams… This year only 62 per cent have got placed. The rest of 38 per cent did not get placed. It is a matter of concern,” he said.
In his address, chief guest B. Santhanam, Managing Director, Saint Gobain Glass India, said that students were always judged on the basis of their analytical intelligence. But apart from it, they must inculcate emotional intelligence, which included self awareness, and social intelligence which was related to building a strong social network. He also stressed on the need for students to seek information constantly, be imaginative, work with intensity, create an impact, stay independent, uphold integrity and be able to influence others. “Leaders are not born, they are made. They cultivate the traits required for winners. It is not really the card we play with but how we play is what makes a big difference,” he said.
Additional Director General of Police T. Radha Krishnan asked students to give up rote learning. He hailed Mr. Muthuramalingam for instituting a number of educational institutions right from schools to a proposed medical college for educating the masses.
