Mumbai: The former President of India and a world renowned scientist, APJ Abdul Kalam has always talked as well as worked towards the upliftment of education system in India. Maintaining the same motive, Kalam recently discussed about the necessity of education system that promotes entrepreneurship. The former president was in Mumbai to address the 54th foundation day of the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT Bombay).
Addressing the students, Kalam said that, it’s high time that we should think of forming an education system, which produces large number of employment generators (entrepreneurs) and not just employment seekers. However, in order to achieve such educational system, he suggested a three-pronged strategy that will make education more attractive, teach skills and at the same time, create employment potential.
Discussing the strategy, Kalam said that, to begin with, the country's education system should train students to get oriented towards setting up enterprises which can give them creativity, freedom and ability to generate wealth. Secondly, the banking system should offer venture capital to those graduates who have the aptitude and zeal to create their own new enterprises. Thirdly, the budding entrepreneurs need to come up with competitive products to become successful in their tasks, he explained.
Furthermore, pointing out the significance of technology and its impact on society, Kalam mentioned that technology is the non-linear tool available to humanity, which can affect fundamental changes in the basics of economic competitiveness. Explaining more, he said that, science is linked to technology through applications. Similarly, technology is connected to economy and environment through manufacture of knowledge products. Therefore, economy and environment are eventually associated to technology, which promotes prosperity to the society. Therefore, in order to become a global player, there is a need to use innovation to generate high value added products, he said.
During this annual day celebration, former president inaugurated the new building of Bio-Sciences and Bio-Engineering Department at IIT- Bombay. Later, he presented the Distinguished Alumnus award, Young Achiever award and Faculty Award, to the winners.
