Every university should be world class, says President Droupadi Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu has urged higher education institutions in the country to identify themselves globally.

Speaking at the inauguration of St Joseph’s University here on Tuesday, Murmu said though there are more a number of higher education institutions in the country, not all are world-class.

“Very few of them have been identified at the global level. Every university should make efforts to get global recognition,” she said.

Murmu mentioned that lack of global exposure at our universities was forcing students to opt for foreign universities.

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“Many of our students look towards the West for research and higher learning. Every educational institution in our country should be world-class and play the role of change agents,” she added.

Hailing the National Education Policy (NEP), Murmu called it an effort to make academics “align with changing needs”.

Murmu is the third President to visit St Joseph’s. In 1957, then president Rajendra Prasad visited the institute, followed by Neelam Sanjiva Reddy in 1982.

St Joseph’s College (autonomous) received university status in April 2021, under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA). Started in 1882, St Joseph’s is managed by the Bangalore Jesuit Educational Society.

Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan, Bangalore Archbishop Peter Machado and others were present.