Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on August 20, 2021, 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 this occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) was also signed by Prof. RV Raja Kumar, Director, IIT Bhubaneswar, and Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra, Chairman, Skill Development Institute, Bhubaneswar, in the presence of Union Minister Pradhan. 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.
Addressing the participants, Pradhan 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 that to overhaul education landscape of the country, the Government brought out the National Education Policy (NEP) 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.
Pradhan stressed that NEP will transform our higher educational institutions into world-class institutions, according to a PIB release. Pradhan expressed his happiness on inaugurating the largest lecture complex and hostel in the State of Odisha and hoped that the added infrastructure facilities will enable the students to strive for greater excellence. The Minister 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 complemented the IIT Bhubaneswar for its teaching excellence and quality education. He also said that IIT Bhubaneswar, 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.
Pradhan said that the collaboration between IIT and SDI will help address the local issues and environment issues in a disaster prone state like Odisha 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. Pradhan stated that the real potential of Odisha lies in its people and its real growth has to be driven by its youth.
Prof. V R Pedireddi, Dean Student Affairs, Prof. Sujit Roy, Dean ( R & D), Prof. Saroj Nayak Dean ( Faculty Planning), Prof. P V Satyam, Head, School of Minerals, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (SMMME), Dr. Sumanta Haldar, PIC Civil Works and Associate Professor, School of Infrastructure (SIF), Debaraj Rath, Registrar I/c, officials of NBCC and staff of the Institute were present on the occasion.