Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Monday said the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is a guiding pillar for educational progress from kindergarten to PhD and underlined the importance of innovation, skill development and responsible use of social media among young people.
Addressing the Ruby and Silver Jubilee Valedictory Celebrations of SASTRA Deemed University in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur, V-P Radhakrishnan congratulated the institution on completing important milestones in its academic journey and appreciated its contribution to national development.
He said the Ruby and Silver Jubilee milestones reflected SASTRA’s growth over the years, its present impact and its aspirations for greater excellence in the future. He described SASTRA as one of Tamil Nadu’s leading higher education institutions.
The Vice President praised the education policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing them as progressive and revolutionary. He said NEP 2020 provides a comprehensive framework for educational development at all levels, from KG to PhD.
Highlighting reforms in higher education and research, V-P Radhakrishnan said initiatives such as the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF), PM-Vidyalaxmi and the Multiple Entry-Multiple Exit system had strengthened India’s higher education ecosystem.
Public examination reforms aimed at fairness
Referring to the recently enacted Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, the Vice President said the legislation was aimed at strengthening public examination systems and reflected the government’s commitment to establishing a fair and transparent mechanism for India’s youth.
He also expressed confidence that India’s Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education would rise from the current 30 per cent to the target of 50 per cent by 2035.
V-P Radhakrishnan said the Central Government was taking several measures to build a self-reliant ecosystem capable of developing sovereign technological capabilities while promoting socio-economic growth through manufacturing and services.
Students urged to focus on innovation and skills
Emphasising the value of time, the Vice President told students that time was particularly precious during their formative years, when they possessed the energy and determination to achieve ambitious goals.
He urged students to focus on innovation and continuous skill upgradation and advised them to limit their use of social media.
V-P Radhakrishnan also called upon students to stay away from narcotic drugs.
“Say no to narcotic drugs. Say Yes to Your Health and Say Yes to Your Life,” he said.
Six new SASTRA initiatives launched
During the event, the Vice President launched six new initiatives of SASTRA Deemed University aimed at strengthening technology, research, internationalisation, faculty development and student engagement.
The initiatives include the TATA Communications Centre for Resilient and Unified Secure Technologies (TRUST) @ SASTRA, SASTRA.AI – SASTRA’s Integrated AI Framework, and SASTRA-MAITRI – Mobility for Academic Initiatives Through Research and Internationalisation.
The other initiatives are the SASTRA Teaching, Research & Innovation Development Enhancement (STRIDE) Fund, aimed at capacity building among faculty and research scholars; DRISHTI – Digital Resources for Instructional Systems in Higher Education using Technology and Innovation; and SMILE – SASTRA-CUB Membership for Incentives, Loyalty and Engagement.
V-P Radhakrishnan said the six initiatives launched on the historic occasion would provide a launchpad for SASTRA’s future growth and expressed confidence that they would achieve their intended objectives.
SASTRA-Tata Communications partnership welcomed
The Vice President also congratulated SASTRA on its agreement with Tata Communications in the areas of cybersecurity and networking.
He said the partnership was particularly relevant to building a resilient and trustworthy security infrastructure and strengthening India’s sovereign technological capabilities.
V-P Radhakrishnan said the initiatives undertaken by SASTRA are aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047, with a focus on infrastructure development, faculty and student capacity building, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, social engagement and industry collaboration.
He wished SASTRA continued success and expressed confidence that the university would further develop as a “temple of learning and excellence” and contribute to India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat @2047.
Governor of Tamil Nadu and Kerala Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, SASTRA University Chancellor Prof. R. Sethuraman, Vice-Chancellor Prof. S. Vaidhyasubramaniam, Dean Prof. S. Swaminathan, Registrar Prof. R. Chandramouli, faculty members, parents and students were present at the event.
