Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 2 said that students of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Sambalpur should use their managerial skills to give a global identity to the rich textiles, arts and tourism of Odisha.
Speaking at the foundation-stone laying ceremony of IIM Sambalpur's permanent campus, PM Modi said in a virtual address that these students will be able to give global recognition to the state's Sambalpuri textile and Cuttack Ikkat fabrics.
"This campus has given a new foundation for Odisha’s youth and will give a new identity to Odisha in management education. I hope these IIM graduates will help India in the Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant) mission," the prime minister said.
PM Modi also spoke about how these IIM graduates could find opportunities in setting up new-age startups in the region and lead them to resolve real-life problems.
"Despite COVID-19, India has produced new unicorns. When it comes to startups, these firms are now being developed in Tier 2/3 cities of India. These startups need good managers and IIM Sambalpur graduates will be able to make use of these new opportunities," PM Modi added.
The first batch of Post Graduate Programme (PGP) with 49 students commenced at IIM Sambalpur on September 23, 2015. But the institution was functioning from a temporary campus.
During his address, PM Modi also spoke about the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and how it will help India's youth become future-ready.
The Cabinet on July 29, 2020 had given its nod to NEP 2020. Consequently, the Human Resource Development Ministry was renamed as the Ministry of Education.
NEP 2020 proposes far-reaching changes in the system of education, not only in India. It also wants a self-sufficient domestic ranking system for Indian educational institutes.
Also read: All your NEP 2020-related questions resolved
The prime minister said that NEP is a reflection of IIM Sambalpur's motto which is innovation, integrity and inclusion.
"I hope you students will realise the potential of NEP which aims to give holistic education," he added.
PM Modi said that compared to 2014 when there were only 13 IIMs, now there are now 20 IIMs. He added that these institutes will bring out a big talent pool that will help India expand the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission.
Talking about the COVID-led changes in businesses, the prime minister said that it is essential for the students to be future-ready.
"In management, there is no longer the top-heavy approach being followed in companies. It is all about collaborative management. You will find that apart from people, bots and algorithms will also be your team-mates. So you need to prepare yourself for these changes," he added.
Due to remote working to prevent the spread of COVID-19 there is a greater reliance on technology to get mundane tasks done quicker and efficiently.