President Droupadi Murmu on Monday graced the convocation ceremony of the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Jamshedpur, calling upon educational institutions to serve not only as centres of learning but also as hubs of research and innovation that shape the nation’s future.
Addressing students and faculty, the President said educational institutions are not merely places for awarding degrees, but also act as “intellectual laboratories” of the country, where ideas for national progress take form.
Highlighting the rapid pace of technological change, President Murmu said modern advancements are transforming sectors such as education, agriculture, healthcare, communication and energy. While these developments create new opportunities, she cautioned that the misuse of technology has also led to challenges such as cybercrime and environmental damage caused by e-waste.
She said institutions like NIT Jamshedpur have a crucial role in addressing these issues by developing solutions and collaborating with other academic institutions and industries to ensure sustainable and long-term impact.
The President stressed that engineers graduating from premier institutions like the NITs must see themselves as nation-builders, using technology for human welfare. She added that the reputation of higher education institutions should not be measured solely by rankings or placement records, but also by the contributions they and their students make to society and the nation.
Referring to the goal of building a Viksit Bharat by 2047, President Murmu said promoting research, innovation, a strong startup ecosystem, and a skilled workforce is essential. She urged leading institutions such as NITs to intensify their focus on research and innovation, noting that such efforts would help India emerge as a “knowledge superpower.”
The President also pointed out that government initiatives have opened up opportunities in both traditional sectors and emerging areas such as defence, space and atomic energy. She said technologically skilled youth, including students of NIT Jamshedpur, can leverage these opportunities to create enterprises and generate employment for others.
Emphasising inclusive development, President Murmu said the vision of a developed India cannot be achieved solely through infrastructure growth or economic strength. True progress, she said, lies in creating a society where people at the lowest rung have equal opportunities and can live with dignity.
The President concluded by reminding students that education and knowledge are meaningful only when their benefits reach the common people, adding that innovation guided by compassion can transform society, while inventions without empathy risk becoming mere machines.
