Pranab tells varsities to instil values in students

Expressing concern over the recent incidents of brutality against women and rapid increase in the number of child rape cases across the country, President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday appealed to universities and educational institutions to take the lead in correcting and stopping the rapidly deteriorating moral values in society.

“Universities and other academic institutions must take the lead to stop the rapidly deteriorating moral values in our society. They should impart the right education in the minds of our young generation to meet the challenges of our time”, the President said while addressing a gathering of students, teachers and academicians here on the occasion of the 45th convocation of Utkal University, Odisha’s oldest university.

Pointing at the four-year Moral education course introduced recently by Delhi University, he said other varsities must offer the course as well.

 He warned that lack of safety and security for women would threaten the existing and functioning of civil society.

“The society must introspect over the erosion of moral values and identify a solution to arrest the problem. It also must ensure safety and security of women,” the President said.
 
He also expressed concern over the deteriorating quality of higher education in the country and lamented that despite being such a big nation, none of the Indian institutions had found a place in the top 200 list of universities in the world.