Mumbai, March 27, 2022

Union Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan has said that India’s intellectual capacity, innovation and policy consistency will drive the global energy transition and contribute in building a new energy future. He expressed confidence that while India is currently an energy-importing nation, it will become self-sufficient in energy sector in the coming years. He said that the nation is exploring sustainable green energy sources like solar energy, bio-energy and hydrogen energy. The Minister said this at the presentation ceremony of Loksatta Tarun Tejankit Awards for the year 2021, held in Mumbai today.

The Minister emphasised on how India’s knowledge has benefited the world and knowledge exchange as a two-way street. Answering a question regarding brain drain, the Union Minister said that we have to convert the brain drain scenario into brain bank scenario and make the nation a knowledge repository. “The 21st century poses a great opportunity for India. The purchasing power of the country has increased and consequently we are going to have larger markets in the country itself.” This will encourage the innovators to stay in the country and explore Indian markets, he added. 

The Education Minister also elaborated upon efforts to create more opportunities for higher education in India, reforms in education, linking education with employment, and achieving long-term goals of making education affordable, inclusive and equitable.

When questioned about students travelling abroad for higher studies, the Education Minister said that the total number of students opting for higher studies in the country is four crores. “In next ten years, this number is going to increase to 10 crores. We are working to become self-sufficient in this area as well. In the near future, we will have to make enough facilities to educate our Indian students in the country itself.”

On the New Education Policy, the Union Minister said that it focuses on skill development and entrepreneurship. He added that our education system should not remain degree-based or placement-based.

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PIB MUMBAI | RT/DJM/CP/PK

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