Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday said Delhi University should design futuristic courses and include them in its curriculum.
He was addressing the inaugural session of a three-day international seminar on “Revisiting The Ideas of India from ‘Swaraj’ to ‘New India’”.
“I wish I were a student of DU. DU is celebrating its centenary year and we are celebrating the country’s Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. This is a happy coincidence,” he said.
The education minister also advised the university to include futuristic courses in its curriculum.
“The times are changing. Our country’s inventions do not get patented. DU can start a short-term diploma course on patent process. The students will not only become employable in India but also at the international level… DU should add futuristic courses to its curriculum,” he said.
Pradhan also shared that Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was the chief guest at the event, became emotional after seeing the NCC cadets who welcomed him at the event.
“While entering, we were welcomed by NCC cadets. Our home minister got emotional after seeing them. He recalled his time as an NCC cadet when he had welcomed Morarji Desai during a visit to his village. He said that in 30-40 years, one of them could become the prime minister of the country,” Pradhan said.
Delhi University vice chancellor Yogesh Singh said that India needs a growth rate of 10 per cent for the next 10 years to become a six trillion dollar economy.
He also stressed that policies that compromise on the country’s growth should not be supported and be postponed.
“Delhi University is celebrating its centenary. These have been 100 years of education, the process of becoming the best university. It started with three colleges, 750 students, Rs 40,000 annual budget, and today we have 90 colleges, more than six lakh students, and Rs 840 crore annual budget. This is such a huge expansion. Congratulations to students, the education ministry and the Centre on this achievement,” he said.
“We are giving a centenary chance to students who could not complete their degree. The registration for this started on May 1 and we have received 1,560 registrations. The oldest student is from the 1977-80 batch, who was studying B.Com in Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College,” he said.
He said Union Home Minister Shah’s visit is “a golden day” in the history of Delhi University.
Centenary celebrations of the university began on May 1.
