Youth will be torchbearers of a self-reliant India of 21st century, says Dharmendra Pradhan

New Delhi [India], August 20 : Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan said that with the spirit of nation-first, youth will be the torchbearers of a self-reliant India of the 21st century. He said this while inaugurating the Pushpagiri Lecture Hall Complex and Rishikulya Hall of Residence at IIT Bhubaneswar on Friday.
On this occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding was also signed by Professor RV Raja Kumar, Director, IIT Bhubaneswar and Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra, Chairman, Skill Development Institute Bhubaneswar in the presence of the Union Minister.
The MoU is for enhancing skill development activities for unemployed, under-employed and underprivileged youth with technical education relevant to the industry under the expertise and guidance of IIT Bhubaneswar, informed an official release by the Ministry of Education.
Addressing the participants, the Minister said that the Government has taken various steps to provide opportunities to our youth by supporting higher education institutions in all possible ways. He further said to overhaul the education landscape of the country, the Government brought out the National Education Policy 2020 based on the foundation of Affordability, Accessibility, Equity and Quality.
"It is not merely a policy but a vision document for our future which aims to establish a student-centric education system by empowering the students with flexibility and power of choice," he added. The Minister stressed that National Education Policy (NEP) will transform our higher educational institutions into world-class institutions.
Pradhan expressed his happiness in inaugurating the largest lecture complex and hostel in Odisha and hoped that the added infrastructure facilities will enable the students to strive for greater excellence. The Minister said that with focus on quality research and innovation, IITs have indeed become the symbol of the progress of India and success in higher education.
He complimented IIT Bhubaneswar for its teaching excellence and quality education. He also expressed that IIT Bhubaneswar being a leading Institute in the state of Odisha should take the lead in the effective implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP-2020) and paving the path for holistic and multidisciplinary education and thereby helping the needy sections of the society.
Pradhan said that the collaboration between IIT and Skill Development Institute (SDI) will help to address the local issues and the environmental issues in a disaster-prone state like Odisha and thereby acting as a role model for the entire nation. He further reiterated that the amalgamation of knowledge and technical skills at IIT Bhubaneswar will pave the path for innovative outcomes in a state like Odisha. The Union Minister stated that the real potential of Odisha lies in its people and its real growth has to be driven by its youth. He wished success to all the faculty and students of the institute in all their future endeavours.