Education key to India's prosperity: Venkaiah Naidu
New Delhi, Aug 8 : Education could be the key driver for India's road to prosperity and for that the need is to "reorient" the education system, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu has said.
Higher educational institutions need to "revamp their methods of teaching, give up a business-as-usual approach and create rigorous academic standards", Naidu said.
"We need to build the right ecosystem for academic excellence to thrive by revamping our education system.
"Innovative, futuristic universities will be the drivers of this huge transformation" and "education will be the key driver of India's transformation to prosperity", he added.
The Vice President was addressing the 7th Convocation and Founder's Day Ceremony of the O.P. Jindal Global University here, on Tuesday.
Referring to India's demographic dividend -- 65 per cent Indians below 35 years of age -- Naidu emphasised the need to convert this vast human capital into national wealth creators by imparting the right education, knowledge and skills to the youth.
He urged for a change in the dismal position of Indian universities in the global rankings by learning from best practices of other universities around the world, which have leapfrogged in a short duration.
The Vice President also stressed the need to create a conducive intellectual environment for highly qualified Indians working overseas to come back and work in our universities.
At the convocation ceremony, 551 students from different fields such as Law, Business, International Affairs, Liberal Arts and Humanities, and Government and Public Policy, were conferred degrees.
The University, which began in 2009 with one school, a few programmes, a small number of students and around 10 faculty members, has now expanded to 11 undergraduate, six postgraduate and Ph.D. programmes offered by its eight Schools. There are now over 4,200 students and more than 330 faculty members.
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India edges past Japan, ranks third on Asia Power Index of Australian think tank
New Delhi, Sep 25: India ranks third in the annual Asia Power Index, released by an Australian think-tank, surpassing Japan on the back of strong post-COVID 19 economic growth, while China's power appeared to plateau just below the United States.
The Sydney-based Lowy Institute has put the US at the top of its Asia Power Index with a score of 81.7, followed by China with a score of 72.7, India (39.1), Japan (38.9), Australia (31.9) and Russia (31.1).
The Index ranks 27 countries and territories in terms of their capacity to shape their external environment -- its scope reaching as far west as Pakistan, as far north as Russia and as far into the Pacific as Australia, New Zealand and the US.
The index has cited economic growth, future potential and diplomatic influence as key factors for India's rise. However, it has pointed out that New Delhi's clout remains below the potential promised by its resources.
"India has shown remarkable post-pandemic economic recovery, contributing to a 4.2-point rise in its economic capability. India's massive population and strong GDP growth reinforce its standing as the world's third-largest economy in PPP terms," the think tank has said.
It has noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership has garnered greater international recognition.
The think tank has said India's non-aligned strategic posture has allowed it to navigate complex international waters effectively.
It has said India's participation in dialogues as well as its leadership in the Quad has allowed New Delhi to play a significant role in regional security dynamics, albeit outside of formal military alliances.
