Nation-building starts with education and women empowerment, says G Viswanathan
Vellore: Stressing that nation-building must start with stepped-up investment and focus on education and women-empowerment, Dr G Viswanathan, founder and Chancellor of VIT, lamented that the rulers continued to ignore both the vital sectors even while making hefty albeit empty promises.
For instance, the latest Union budget had a mere three per cent allocation for education out of the total Rs 27 lakh crore outlay even though there have been demands in the last 30-40 years that at least six per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product should be spent on higher education. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about accessibility, affordability and equity in higher education; but to deliver on that, the government should spend more in the education sector. Education, healthcare for all and women empowerment are the vital parameters of national development”, Dr Viswanathan said in his address at the recent inauguration of VIT’s academic block named after Mahatma Gandhi and hostel block named after Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
The VIT Chancellor said free and compulsory education is a constitutional right to children below 14, but this is applicable only to students of government schools. “Half of the student population goes to private schools, so what about them? Nothing is being done about them”, he said, pointing out free education for all even above 18 years of age is being provided in 40 countries across the world.
“In higher education, we are lagging behind. Our Gross Enrolment Ratio or access to higher education is 25 % and there is still a long way to go in offering higher education for the middle and poorer classes,” he said, adding that if the government feels it does not have enough money to provide free education for all, it could start with ensuring free education for all the girls/women as that would be a great investment for the country’s all-round development.
On the other hand, he said, while everyone spoke about women empowerment, the bill for 33 per cent reservation for women in the Parliament and State Assemblies was yet to see the light of the day though pending for 22 years. “Women formed 49 per cent of India’s population and are the backbone of the efforts to save money for the nation. Yet, they constitute only 7-8 per cent in State Assemblies, 10 per cent of the judiciary, 12 per cent in Lok Sabha, 11 per cent in Rajya Sabha and 15 per cent in IAS/IPS”, said Dr Viswanathan.
Padmaja Chunduru, MD & CEO, Indian Bank, who dedicated the two blocks as part of the International Women’s Day celebrations, said 33 % of her bank employees are women. “Empowerment is something that is in us. Assume that you are empowered and it will be achieved through proper education, freedom and equality in thinking,” she said.
G. Muthazhagi, Vice President, Delivery and Support (ERP), Ramco Systems and a former student of VIT, was Guest of Honour on the occasion. She said staying focused, being positive, belief in oneself and trying to explore and innovate were the most important things for emerging young engineers. VIT was a world class institution and provided students with all that they needed, she said.
Sankar Viswanathan and Dr. Sekar Viswanathan, Vice Presidents of VIT handed over mementoes to the guests. Professor Anand A. Samuel, Vice Chancellor and Dr. Sandhya Pentareddy, Executive Director were also present on the occasion.
