Quality Education at Affordable Cost: Venkaiah Naidu at VIT Amaravati

Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Mr. Venkaiah Naidu laid the foundation stone for Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh on November 3, 2016. Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N. Chandra Babu Naid also attended the ceremony. On this occasion, Venkaiah Naidu addressed the gathering.

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Speaking about the literacy rate of India, he mentioned that there are still 35% of people who are illiterate in India. Among them, a few people are not in a position to afford higher education. The Central government has come up with a New Education Policy through which quality education will be provided at affordable cost to everyone. The main objective of the New Education Policy is to promote equity, quality, accessibility, accountability and affordability in education.

He also indicated that there has been a nation-wide debate on the New Education Policy and mentioned that universities must also take part in it. He expressed his concern that there are still 35% of illiterates in India that is a shame to our nation. He also clarified that the government would take it as a challenge and take all the necessary steps for improving the literacy rate in the coming years.

He advised the educational institutions and students to take up research and innovative activities. He clarified that India needs more research scholars. He cited the example of China where there are 39% PhDs, and in India, it is only 3.40 percent and mentioned that India has been losing one lakh professionals every year causing a loss of USD 2 billion as they are going abroad for employment opportunities.