Naidu says youth must be encouraged to discover
Science should be an integral component of the education curriculum: VP
HAMIRPUR: COUNTRY’S Vice President, M Venkaiah Naidu, while speaking at the 9th Indian Youth Congress, organised by Career Point University here on Saturday, said the dream of ‘new’ India could only be visualised with new ideas and new ways of making them real through effective implementation.
He said the ‘new’ India would be a scientific India, a technological India.
He further said that forums such as Science Congress would enable young minds to share knowledge, information and draw inspiration to come up with new ideas that would empower the future India. He said students should be encouraged to discover rather than be told the answer.
He opined that science should be an integral component of the curriculum. “Scientific approach that relies on evidence and raising relevant questions and seeking answers should be internalised,” he said.
He appreciated the efforts of the Himachal government in environment conservation and increasing green cover. He said the people of Himachal were honest in their approach and work and urged them to keep the tradition going.
Speaking on the occasion governor Acharya Dev Vrat said India is a land of knowledge since time immemorial and vedic cosmology was the only one whose time scales corresponds to that of modern scientific cosmology. He said that it was the need of the hour to develop scientific approach by upholding the Indian traditional knowledge.
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur also addressed the Youth Congress and said that climate change was a serious challenge and scientists should come forward to tackle this “teething problem”.
Union health minister JP Nadda expressed concern over increasing cases of anaemia, particularly among youngsters. He urged the scientists to come forward to redress this problem at the earliest by vigorous research in this field.
Former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal said that since more than 60% population of our nation falls under the age group of 35, we have a lot of potential to discover and dream.
Noted scientist and father of Green Revolution in India Padma Vibhushan Prof MS. Swaminathan, in his key note address through a video conference, said young scientists should collectively work towards meeting the challenges posed by climate change while he appreciated the efforts of Himachal Pradesh in environment conservation.
University vice-chancellor (V-C) PL Gautam said the theme of the Indian Youth Congress for this year was ‘Role of Young Scientists in Developing New India’. A souvenir was also released on the occasion brought out by the Indian Youth Congress.
Promeinent among others present in function were cabinet minister Suresh Bhardwaj, Vipin Singh Parmar, Virender Kanwar, Bikram Singh and MP Anurag Thakur.