Don't work in silos: V-P to higher educational institutions

Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu today suggested higher educational institutions to form a symbiotic relationship with the industry to develop cutting-edge technology.

The Vice-President also asked the industry experts in various areas to act as mentors for guiding researchers.

"This type of collaboration will help in fast-tracking projects and produce quicker results," Naidu said while inaugurating the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of IIT-Delhi through a video-conference.

Expressing his happiness that the New Education Policy (NEP) seeks to promote India as a global study destination, Naidu pointed out that only eight Indian institutions figured in the top 500 globally.

He added this situation has to change and there has to be a concerted and collective action from all the stakeholders — governments, universities, educationists and the private sector to bring about a radical improvement in the standards and quality of education in our institutes of higher learning.

Observing that there is a huge potential for India to become a world leader in various technological domains, given the demographic advantage and the presence of highly talented youth, the V-P said, "The need of the hour is to impart quality education".

Lauding IIT-Delhi for emerging as a leader in the entrepreneurship space, Naidu said, "It is good to note that Institutions such as IIT-Delhi are producing job providers rather than job seekers and becoming trendsetters for other institutions in the country".

Naidu emphasized that research at IITs and other higher educational institutes must be relevant to society and focus on finding solutions to various problems faced by mankind from climate change to health issues.

"Indian institutions will be counted among the world's best only when they start impacting the societies around them by developing optimal and sustainable solutions to the problems faced by the nation," Naidu added.

Calling for greater investment in research and development projects which focus on finding solutions to societal problems, the V-P urged the private sector to collaborate with the academia in identifying such projects and funding them liberally.

He also emphasized that research should focus on making the lives of people comfortable, quicken the progress and ensure more equitable world order.

Calling upon the IITians to pay attention to the problems faced by the farmers and rural India, Naidu asked them to work not only for enhancing agri-production but also lay special focus on the production of nutritious and protein-rich food.

On this occasion, the Vice-President also released the Diamond Jubilee logo and IIT-Delhi 2030 strategy document..