Varsities must plan curricula as per job market: Governor

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 25

Governor KK Paul today said educational institutions must fire the power of imagination of students beyond the realm of grades and classroom. As youth are the future of a nation, it is the responsibility of teachers and institutions to develop the youth and build the nation. Paul was speaking at the first convocation of Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun.

“The teacher must motivate and encourage the taught to think beyond books. Teachers have to encourage inquisitiveness. Students must have a grand vision which they can, through research and inquiry, translate into reality,” said the Governor.

He said to achieve this, the teaching pedagogy has to be refined, curricula up-dated regularly, an inter-disciplinary approach adopted and evaluation mechanism has to be reformed.

The Governor said in order to pursue excellence, the core competencies must be identified and centres of excellence nurtured. Research and creativity have to be encouraged. “We have to realise that ultimately, research leads to new technologies and technology leads to development.”

Paul said “It is the need of the hour that universities should promote learning in the true spirit. They should offer knowledge and skills needed to succeed as professionals and the values and sensitivity needed to become responsible citizens of the world”.

Competent and committed individuals are necessary to build the country of our dreams. “Our universities must produce men and women of character and integrity. While it is important to have a scientific outlook, we must always cherish our value system. As we compete with the world, we must never forget our civilisation and culture,” he said.

The Governor further said there were opportunities in the private sector that were waiting to be seized. Students should look out for them. Also, one big difference between the opportunities open to graduates today as compared to the graduates earlier was that there was great potential for getting into entrepreneurship. “Try to make an effort to become a ‘job provider’ rather than a ‘job seeker’,” Paul said.

The Governor congratulated the graduating students and said this was an era of specialisation, transformation, innovation and automation, coupled with immense competition.

“Many great achievements have been made possible because of individuals or institutions possessing the right depth of expert domain knowledge, innovative approaches, and a high degree of professionalism, leadership and unique models of management,” he said.

The world respects excellence more than ever before. “Your certification is in your degree. You may think of it as the ticket to a good life as well as your ticket to change the world. But for this, a lot of hard work is required,” Paul added.