11.12.2023 : Prime Minister launches ‘Viksit Bharat @2047: Voice of the Youth’ Initiative – Addresses Governors, VCs and Heads of Universities

Prime Minister launches ‘Viksit Bharat @2047: Voice of the Youth’ Initiative – Addresses Governors, VCs and Heads of Universities

Amrit Kaal is right time to take a Quantum Jump for Viksit Bharat: PM Narendra Modi

Viksit Universities essential for Viksit Bharat: Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched through virtual mode, the initiative ‘Viksit Bharat @ 2047 : Voice of Youth’ that seeks to involve the universities and students in attaining the goal of a developed India by 2047.

The Prime Minister addressed the workshop of Vice-Chancellors, Heads of public and private universities and educational Institutions organised on the Viksit Bharat by Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais at Raj Bhavan Mumbai on the occasion.

Stating that many countries of the world took a Quantum Jump to transform themselves into a developed nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Amrit Kaal of India’s Independence is the right time to take a Quantum Jump to become a developed nation.

Addressing the Vice Chancellors, Heads of public and private universities and members of faculty, the Prime Minister appealed to them to make concerted efforts to involve maximum youths in the campaign and to ensure that not a single moment of the Amrit Kaal is wasted. The Prime Minister appealed to the youths to share their ideas for Viksit Bharat on the government portal.

The Prime Minister said education and skills alone will not shape the character of the new generation. He said it is necessary to instil in them a civic sense to abide by traffic rules. He further said for India to become a Viksit Bharat, it is equally necessary that all the products ‘Made In India’ will bear the best quality standards.

Mentioning that the population of many developed countries is ageing, the Prime Minister said the next 30 to 40 years are going to be particularly important for India. He said universities should ensure that every youth passing out from the university has at least one skill.

“Viksit universities and Viksit education system essential to realize Viksit Bharat”

Addressing the vice chancellors, members of faculty and heads of private and deemed universities, Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais asserted that Viksit universities and Viksit Schools are essential to realize the goal of Viksit Bharat.

Stating that universities and higher education institutions have a symbiotic relationship with the development of the country, the Governor said that the universities and research institutes of most of the developed nations are leaders in the world. The Governor asserted that it is necessary to have developed universities and a developed education system to attain the goal of a Viksit Bharat.

Governor Bais said, of the top 50 universities in the world, 17 universities are from America, 6 from Britain, 4 from Hong Kong, 5 from Australia and the rest from Canada, France, Germany and Canada. He said the top universities were attracting talented students from India causing a brain drain.

Pointing out that the world’s best accounting and consulting firms are from America, the Governor expressed the need to build the best educational, research and professional institutions in the country.

The Governor said, all major universities of the world have huge corpus funds and received large donations from their alumni. He called upon the universities to connect to their alumni and try to become financially self sufficient.

Governor Bais said in order to develop universities into top class institutions, the posts of teachers should be filled up on priority. He said many universities in the State were functioning with only 50 percent of the sanctioned posts and were being run with the help of ad hoc posts. The Governor expressed the need for assessment of faculty by students. This according to him will increase the accountability of teachers towards students.

Stating that ageing countries like Germany, Japan, Italy, were looking up to India to meet the requirement of skilled manpower , the Governor said that universities should think of skilling the 70 per cent of the youths who are currently outside the higher education system.

The Governor said in order to make India a developed nation by the year 2047, it will have to be self-sufficient in terms of energy, food grains and water. He said problems like hunger, disease and poverty can best be addressed by harnessing the power of science, technology and innovation.

The Governor’s address was preceded by panel discussions on the themes of ‘Empowered Indians’, ‘Thriving and Sustainable Economy’, ‘Innovation’, ‘Science and Technology’, ‘Good Governance and Security’, ‘India in the World’, ‘Role of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry in Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Engaging Youths for Contributing ideas on Viksit Bharat’. Former Minister and Chancellor of Pimpri Chinchwad University Harshwardhan Patil, vice chancellors and heads of 40 universities participated in the discussion.