President Droupadi Murmu urges educational institutions to encourage research and innovation

LUCKNOW: President Droupadi Murmu on Monday urged educational institutions to encourage research and innovation while also expressing hope that some students would become good teachers or professors.

Today, India has the third-largest start-up ecosystem in the world, Murmu said during her address at the 10th convocation of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University here. All educational institutions, especially universities and technical institutes, should take full advantage of this ecosystem and encourage research and innovation among the students, she said.

The President said their efforts would be an important contribution to making India a leading nation in innovation and technology. She also called for education to be connected with the favourable environment for investment and business created by the Global Investors Summit in Uttar Pradesh.

"Our universities should develop themselves into a centre where new research is done for public welfare, a hub of the fourth Industrial Revolution, and an incubation centre for start-ups. "It would be very heartening if our educational institutions also become messengers of (a) new revolution and social prosperity and equality," she said.

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Shedding light on BR Ambedkar, the President said the Dalit icon believed it to be the fundamental duty of a university to provide education to the poor and the needy. According to him, an educational institution should provide quality education to all without any discrimination, she said.

She commended the varsity's work to uplift students from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories by giving them 50 per cent reservation and expressed confidence that it would continue to spread education in Uttar Pradesh and India as per Ambedkar's ideals.

President advised the graduating students that they should start working on whatever they want to become in life from today itself. Wishing that some students would become good teachers or professors, Murmu stated that education and teaching are interconnected. For the best education system, the best teachers are needed, she said.

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"Our promising students should give their valuable contribution in making the future of the country bright by adopting teaching as a profession," she said. The President said she was confident that the graduating students would progress on the strength of education and knowledge.

"But along with this, they should stay connected to our values and culture, only then can they live a meaningful and satisfying life," she said. She also advised them to always strive for excellence. Whenever a crisis arises, "think about finding a solution and treat it as an opportunity", the President said. This, she said, would enhance personality.