PM Modi lauds R&D work of Centrally Funded Technical Institutions to combat challenges posed by COVID-19

New Delhi [India], July 8 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday lauded the R&D work done by Centrally Funded Technical Institutions towards meeting the challenges posed by COVID-19 and appreciated the efforts of young innovators towards providing quick technological solutions.
During an interaction with directors of Centrally Funded Technical Institutions on Thursday via video conferencing, the Prime Minister said that there is a need to adapt higher education and technical education to keep in tune with the changing environment and emerging challenges.
He added that this requires the institutions to reinvent and re-evaluate themselves, develop alternative and innovative models in accordance with the present and future needs of the country and society.
PM Modi emphasised that our higher educational and technical institutions need to prepare our youth for continuous disruptions and changes, keeping in mind the fourth industrial revolution.
He added that technological, R&D institutions will play a major role in the upcoming decade, which is also being called as "India's Techade".
More than 100 Heads of Institutions joined the Prime Minister for this interaction.
Prime Minister underlined the need to progress towards education models that are flexible, seamless, and able to provide learning opportunities as per the requirements of the learners. He said that access, affordability, equity, and quality should be the core values of such education models.
The PM appreciated the improvement in the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education in the past few years and emphasized that digitisation of higher education can play a big role in increasing GER, and students will have easier access to good quality and affordable education.
He also lauded the various initiatives taken by the institutions to increase digitisation such as that of online bachelor and master degree programmes.
"We need to develop an ecosystem of technological education in Indian languages and translate global journals into regional languages."
The Prime minister said that 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' will form the basis of dreams and aspirations of India in the coming 25 years when the country will celebrate 100 years of Independence.
"We need to focus on developing futuristic solutions in fields of education, healthcare, agriculture, defence, and cyber technologies," he added.
The Prime Minister highlighted that it is important there is good quality infrastructure in higher educational institutions to ensure that products associated with Artificial Intelligence, smart wearables, augmented reality systems, and digital assistants reach the common man.
He emphasised that we should focus on affordable, personalized, and AI-driven education.
During the interaction, Prof Govindan Rangarajan of IISc Bangalore, Prof Subhasis Chaudhuri of IIT Bombay, Prof. Bhaskar Ramamurthi of IIT Madras, and Prof Abhay Karandikar of IIT Kanpur, gave presentations to the Prime Minister and highlighted various ongoing projects, academic work, and new research being done in the country.
The Prime Minister was apprised about the Covid-related research being done that encompasses developing new techniques for testing, Covid vaccine development efforts, indigenous oxygen concentrators, Oxygen generators, Cancer Cell Therapy, Modular hospitals, Hotspot prediction, Ventilators production.
The Prime Minister was also informed about new academic courses, especially the online courses that are being developed, as per the changing nature of the economy and technology. (ANI)