7TH ANNUAL CONVOCATION CEREMONY OF KIIT UNIVERSITY HELD IN THE PRESENCE OF MONTEK SINGH AHLUWALIA

7TH ANNUAL CONVOCATION CEREMONY OF KIIT UNIVERSITY HELD IN THE PRESENCE OF MONTEK SINGH AHLUWALIA 7/01/2012
ODISHA NEWS:


Like sixties of eighties everything will not be easy for us. The world is changing at much faster pace. So be ready to face the changes said deputy chairman of planning commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia here.

During the 7th convocation ceremony of KIIT University he said that, "Everything not going to be easy for people. Technology changes very rapidly. We have to prepare ourself to accept the changes happen in the world."

He said education is backbone for the development of the country. Quality education has been the major focus for government in eleventh plan and also going to be the focus area for the 12th plan. Today India has face real challenge to produce quality education. It will not achieve by government effort only. Private participation is inevitable. He added.


He calls for private-public partnership (PPP) at school level. During next 20 year the change of economy of the country will to increase by fivefold. After 20 years of India achieve independence, the per capita income growth per annum is roughly about 3.5 percent. But after 20 years from here annual per capita income growth to be 7.5-8 percent. The great thing in this illustration is that while it took 45 years to double the per capita income in our time; It will take only nine years to double the per capita income in your time. Montek added.


We are now in a free economy. Technology change much faster. Transfer of technology also happen much faster. It creates huge opportunity for the people. India which is known as a poor developing country in the world earlier is now treated as the third largest economy of Asia. The world is now look after to China and India. He also admit that China is moving ahead of India. We have to catch up with Chinese to stay in the race.


While addressing the graduates he told that the world economy now in a gloomy stage. But that is a short-term phenomenon. To tide over this situation and growing at faster pace we have to think out of the box. The ability of think out of the box is more in fresh graduates than those who got graduate degree some years back.


Due to structural and economy changes you may have wider variety of job opportunity. It is not necessary that like normal job you have to stay in a particular job for lifetime i.e. up to retirement age. Future generation going to change the jobs frequently. I do not know even what type of job opportunity will be creating after some years. Montek said.


He urged the graduate student to be an entrepreneur. Some students those who are to be very successful in their life must be contribute something for the society. He added.
In this occasion founder of KISS-KIIT Dr Achyuta Samant, Vice-chancellor of KIIT University A S Kolaskar also present there.

During this ceremony D.litt.conferred to Dr D Y Patil(Tripura Governor), D Law for eminent lawyer Ram Jethmalani, D Sc for Prof C N R Rao, MD of Tata Steel H M Nerurkar, D litt to Dr Narendra Jadav anf D law honour to senior advocate of Supreme Court of India Pinky Anand. Passed student of the KIIT University are also provided by degree and medals.


"It is predicted that by 2030, after China and USA, India will be a major economic power," Ahluwalia said, while emphasizing on the quality of education. It is not quantitative growth alone that will take the country forward, but it should be combined with a qualitative growth of education and knowledge, he stated.

Underscoring the need for Public - Private Partnership in the field of education, Ahluwalia commended the efforts of KIIT in creating an excellent infrastructure and for giving the country a value based education. Hailing the efforts of Dr. A Samanta and KIIT, Ahluwalia said that KIIT provided a beckon and showed the way how private players can take up the responsibility. "It is a remarkable experiment that has been made by KIIT by creating KISS," while expressing the best wishes for the young graduates passing out.

Expressing best wishes to the recipients of Honoris Causa Degree and the graduate students, Chancellor Prof. R. P. Kaushik explained the challenges that higher education in India is facing today.

Earlier in his report, Vice Chancellor Prof. A. S. Kolaskar said that the University has taken initiative to give impetus for research on the campus by establishing a center of innovation and research with seed money of Rs. 5 crore. "The University takes its social responsibility very seriously and ensures that no qualified student applicant is denied higher education for want of financial resources," he said, while informing that free education has been provided to more than 750 students many of whom are tribal or otherwise socially disadvantaged students.


Speaking on the occasion Dr. D. Y. Patil congratulated the young graduates and urged them to work for those who have been left behind in the process of development. Dr. Narendra Jadhav said graduates have a role model in Achyuta Samanta and try to emulate him. Mr. H. M. Nerurkar expressed gratitude to KIIT University for bestowing the honour on him.


Ram Jethmalani urged the young graduates to use the science for the good of the society. "Science stands at the crossroads today. The whole planet is going to become a graveyard unless science develops some mechanism to fight the menace of religious fanaticism," he said in his acceptance speech. Calling Achyuta Samanta, Founder of KIIT & KISS as the Bhismapitamaha, the eminent lawyer hailed his endevour of providing education to 15,000 tribal students in KISS as outstanding. Ms. Pinky Anand expressed humility and thanked the University for the Honour.

SIDDHARTHA SHANKAR MISHRA,
BUREAU CHIEF, THESE DAYS,
ODISHA