The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Economic backwardness must not impede talented students: VC

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 03, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Economic backwardness must not impede talented students: VC

Staff Reporter

"India's competitive strength in era of globalisation is its youth"

CONVOCATION: Anna University Vice- Chancellor D.Viswanathan presents a certificate to a student at Naduveerapattu, near Tambaram on Thursday. — Photo: A. Muralitharan

TAMBARAM: Vice-Chancellor of Anna University D. Viswanathan said the education system should not deny meritorious students an opportunity to fulfil their aspirations owing to their financial status.

Creative energy

Participating in the first convocation of the Dhanalakshmi College of Engineering at Naduveerapattu near Tambaram on Thursday, Mr. Viswanathan said the youth helped create scientific and technological manpower and this was India's competitive strength in the era of globalisation.

"It is imperative to sustain the creative energy of youth. Necessary facilities should be provided to groom their talents."

The V-C said there should be state-of-the-art centres of excellence and the education system must offer the assurance that "anyone with merit who aspires to go up will surely be able to do so and his economic backwardness would not prove to be a handicap."

Shortage of qualified engineers

Cautioning students that surveys predicted a shortage of qualified engineers in the next decade despite the plethora of jobs available, Mr. Viswanathan stressed the importance of communication and thorough expertise in their area of specialisation. "Jobs are not the end. We also need scientists," he told the students.

V. P. Ramamurthi, chairman of Dhanalakshmi Educational Trust, and M. Mukunda Rao, principal, also spoke. Sixty graduates from three engineering streams received their degrees.

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