Students should dive deep into subjects and learn how to get to the core of the concepts involved in them, said Professor, Bhaskar Ramanurthi, Director, IIT Madras (IIT-M), on Tuesday.
Delivering the convocational address at the 36th annual convocation that was organised virtually by VIT here, Professor Ramamurthi, who was the chief guest for the function, said that students should dive deep into at least some of the subjects if not all during their formal education and learn how to get to the core of the concepts. “All of you who are graduating today are entering the workforce in an India that is poised at a very unique moment in its history. The next 30 years are going to be one of great transformation. This period is going to be like no other from the past, and therefore you will need to be alert to the unbelievable opportunities that are going to come your way,” Professor Ramamurthi said.
He pointed out that it would be challenging for the students who graduate to find a path that is aligned with the growth of the country, where one can feel that they are part of this enterprise involving the 1.4 billion people that is propelling the country forward after so many centuries. “The challenge will be in retaining that which is worthwhile from our poorer, but in some ways more fulfilling, past, such as our strong family bonds and cultural moorings, and our willingness to help and look after each other, even while we create materially wealthier lives for ourselves,” he added.
Delivering his presidential address, founder and Chancellor of Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) Dr. G. Viswanathan said that out of the eligible 14 crore youth in India, only around 4 crore people get the opportunity to go for higher education. The shortage of teachers, low input for research, and inadequate industry linkages had made India lag behind other countries like Japan, China and South Korea. “The higher education system in India is crippled with the lack of financial, academic, and administrative autonomy granted to institutions,” he said.
Further, the Chancellor said that last year (2020), 844 national and international companies took part in VIT’s campus placement. Students should become employers rather than employees. “We have ample opportunity to manufacture and export to other countries. Our Prime Minister’s slogan Make in India can be fulfilled if there is cooperation between the Central Government, State Government, private sector and capable individuals. In the next 10 years, India should double its GDP and compete with other developed Asian countries,” he said.
On the occasion, a total of 7,569 undergraduate, postgraduate students, and research scholars graduated this year. The VIT Vice Presidents Sankar Viswanathan, Sekar Viswanathan, G.V. Selvam, Vice-Chancellor Rambabu Kodali, Pro-Vice Chancellor S. Narayanan, and Registrar K. Sathiyanarayanan, VIT, also took part in the convocation.
