Pursue science with heart and soul: CNR Rao

Jnana Degula, the two-day education expo organised by Deccan Herald and Prajavani, brought together educationists, thinkers and resource persons on a single platform for the benefit of students in the City. 

Organised at the Palace Grounds, the event began with a series of lectures by eminent personalities, including scientist CNR Rao. An education fair was also organised and educational institutions from across the State took part in it.

Saturday’s events began with an inspirational talk by Prof Rao, who called upon students interested in pursuing science to give their heart and soul to the subject. Rao said what science needed today was people who think about the subject without primarily being driven by monetary aspects. “Science has to be a way of life,” he said. 

He expressed concern for talented students in rural India who are not the focus of the mainstream.

Prof Rao added that teachers in school played a crucial role in igniting curiosity and interest in science among students. “There are so many engineering colleges. Yet we have not been able to produce world class scientists,” he observed, stressing on the need for quality education in colleges. Motivating students, he took a leaf out of his life and said age was not a barrier for producing quality work. “My best papers were produced after I reached 70. It is only dedication that matters. You can work for as long as you want, that is the beauty of science,” he said.

Chairperson of Intellectual Ventures India, Ashok Misra, spoke about fostering creativity and inventions in higher technical education. “ The role of higher education is very significant in a knowledge economy. Many universities in the US have Indian professors in high academic posts, proving the benefits of quality education,” he said.

By 2030, 90 to 95 per cent of youth will be in developing countries. 

“There are 50 lakh students completing class 12 every year in our country. This is equal to or greater than the total population of many countries. Even if 20 per cent of these students are exceptionally brilliant, it means, nearly 10 lakh students would have achieved world-class competency with quality education,” Misra said.

Apart from an overall view about the current status and trends in education, students also benefited from the career tips offered by Dr Nanda Kishore Alwa, Pathology professor at M S Ramaiah Medical College. 

Alwa explained in detail the procedures involved in Comed-K UGET counselling and gave tips on preparing for the process. For medical aspirants, he asked students not to get disappointed if they fail to secure seats in medicine. The health sector is a bowl of opportunities at present, he said, listing various para medical and allied courses that were in demand. 

While Alwa spoke about medicine, G L Shekar, principal of NIE College, Mysore, gave tips to students wanting to pursue engineering. 

By 2025, the Indian economy will be 60 per cent the size of the US economy and manufacturing, shipping and tourism will be among the sectors that would have a huge potential in the next few decades, Shekar said.

However, he added that at present only 25 per cent of the engineering graduates are considered ‘employable’ which must be changed by upgrading the quality of education. 

The talk given by all the speakers was united in a common point that asked students to identify their areas of interest and competency before they pursue a career. 

They also requested parents to identify where the child’s talent lay, instead of forcing them to join a course chosen by the parents.