PM calls for a tolerant society

The Prime Minister was accompanied by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Congress leader in charge of West Bengal Ambika Soni.

In his address, he stressed upon the need to expand the liberal education system but opposed the current phenomenon of job-oriented education. “Our higher education puts emphasis on mainly preparing young men and women for the job market. And even in the pursuit of this limited endeavour, sadly, we see many shortcomings,” he said.

Citing Tagore’s legacy, the PM stressed that varsities should have a curriculum that broadened the mind, built character and gave its scholars a “holistic perspective in life”.

“It should be liberal, free from narrow-mindedness and bigotry,” he said. “It is possible only if we have the requisite imagination and determination.”

He, however, conceded that the Government, which was committed to expanding access to higher education to “complete the full cycle of learning from school to university”, failed to achieve the desired target.

Visva-Bharati authorities urged the PM to consider the entire varsity arena to be declared a notified area, a demand which has long been pending with the PMO. In a meeting with the PM, they placed a six-point charter of demands which includes infrastructural development, upgradation of the publication department and improvement of its own healthcare system.

Earlier, the Prime Minister announced a package of Rs 95 crore for the expansion of the university’s facilities.