Vice-President demands for time bound action to combat terror

BENGALURU: Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday said it was high time the world leaders chalked out a time-bound plan to crackdown against terrorism.

Speaking at the 54th convocation of Bangalore University here, Naidu expressed support to the families of those killed in the Sri Lankan bomb blasts and said: “The world must understand and must now think about some serious action. Whenever such heinous terror strike take place, the world leaders condemn and send condolences. OK. Good, but people are disillusioned and are thinking that they are not doing something concrete to counter terrorism.”

Taking a dig at Pakistan, he said, “While the country is in the line of progress, terrorism is emerging as the biggest challenge, particularly the backdrop of one of our neighbors aiding, abetting, funding and training terrorism."

He said that it is high time the United Nations counters terrorism by criminalising all forms of terror and to take action against the one, who funds, supports and empathizes terrorist activities.

Higher education needs revamp

Naidu said there was a need to revamp and reform our higher education system to not only make our institutions global centres of learning but also to ensure that the students were able to meet challenges posed on the employment front.

Expressing his concern over the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education in India being a mere 27% whereas it was 85.8% and 43.4 % in USA and China, respectively, the Vice-President called for measures to enhance it.

Naidu called upon higher education institutions to promote interactive academic programs with diverse specializations and facilitate convergence of disciplines. ‘The system of higher education must prepare the youth to be competent enough to serve the current techno-capitalist world system and its knowledge economy,” he added.

As many as 65,039 candidates received certificates in various disciplines including 55,171 for degree certificates. Of the total graduates, 32,201 are women and 22,970 men. The varsity will grant PhD to 166 researchers. 154 female students and 87 male students were conferred gold medals for their academic achievement.

Dr Kamini Rao misses the event

While Bangalore University announced honorary doctorate to Dr Kamini Rao, medical director of Milann, she could not make it to the convocation.

Speaking to TOI, Kamini Rao said that she was in London on some work. “I was informed about it a week ago and could not change plans and will be returning back on April 29. I am really happy about the University's considering my achievements for the honorary doctorate,” she said.

Director of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research Dr CN Manjunath, and citybased businessman SV S Subramanya Gupta were presented with honorary doctorates.