In Rajasthan, Pradhan credits NEP for India's jump in global university rankings

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday credited the National Education Policy-2020 for the five-fold jump in the number of Indian institutions, from 11 in 2014 to 54 now, getting the QS World University-2026 rankings. He said the new high was achieved because of educational reforms launched in the country.
Mr. Pradhan addressed the ninth convocation ceremony of the Central University of Rajasthan at Ajmer district's Kishangarh and participated in a programme at Manipal University on the outskirts of Jaipur, where he inaugurated a new lecture hall complex.
In his convocation address, Mr. Pradhan said the NEP-2020 had changed the country's educational landscape with its emphasis on research and innovation. 'The NEP has encouraged a multidisciplinary, skill-based and employment-oriented education system, which will immensely benefit the youth,' he said.
'With the NEP, we are integrating India's heritage and knowledge traditions into modern education and fostering a sense of rootedness and pride in our culture,' Mr. Pradhan said. He described Rajasthan as a 'powerful symbol' of the country's heritage, as the rulers in the erstwhile Rajputana had put up a strong resistance during the medieval period.
The Minister praised the talent of the State, while referring to the consistent excellence of students in competitive examinations like JEE and NEET. NEET 2025 topper Mahesh Kumar is from Rajasthan's Hanumangarh. Mr. Pradhan also called upon the youth to become job-creators, giving employment to at least five persons, through start-ups and entrepreneurship, rather than seeking jobs.
'As India emerges as the world's fourth-largest economy, it is essential to harness the innovation, skills, and leadership potential of the youth to realise the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047,' Mr. Pradhan said. He awarded gold medals to 94 students who had secured the highest marks in their respective courses, while the degrees were conferred on a total of 1,770 students in various disciplines, including 77 Ph.D. scholars, at the convocation.
Central University of Rajasthan's Vice-Chancellor Anand Bhalerao called upon the students to use their knowledge and skills for betterment of society, while reminding them of the university's role in building their character and making them responsible citizens. Union Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary was among those present at the convocation ceremony.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

The Hindu

26 minutes ago

• The Hindu

Declare wild pigs as vermin in conflict zones, Kerala asks Centre in fresh appeal

Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran has once again written to Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav reiterating the State's key demands to address the increasing incidents of human-wildlife conflict in Kerala. The State's demands chiefly include an amendment to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the declaration of wild pigs as vermin, at least temporarily in identified hotspots. The renewed appeal comes in the light of a letter from the Union Ministry, explaining the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, particularly those pertaining to hunting animals listed under Schedules I and II. 'Limits powers' Arguing that these limited the powers of the Chief Wildlife Warden and hampered timely action, Mr. Saseendran also flagged the ambiguity in the definition of the term 'dangerous animal' in the Act. Highlighting the growing threats posed by wild animals in human habitats, he emphasised the impracticality of the current procedures. He pointed out that due to these constraints, the Forest department had been unable to act swiftly, thereby intensifying the conflict and endangering human lives and livelihoods. He also proposed simplifying the Standard Operating Procedures for eliminating dangerous animals. The State has also called for declaring wild pigs as vermin in villages identified as hotspots. 'Such a declaration, even if limited to a duration of six months, would greatly facilitate site-specific management of the species in these areas and contribute significantly to mitigate the ongoing human-wildlife conflicts,' the letter states. The government also renewed its demand for an assistance of ₹620 crore to implement preventive measures to tackle the unfolding crisis.

Hans India

26 minutes ago

• Hans India

Omar Abdullah deliberately politicising water sharing with Punjab: AAP

Chandigarh: The Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab on Friday questioned Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's remarks that 'we will not give water from the Indus River to Punjab' and accused him of deliberately politicising the issue. AAP spokesperson Neel Garg said the authority to decide on river waters lies with the Central government, and Omar Abdullah cannot take a unilateral decision on this matter. He emphasised that Punjab needs water and, therefore, Punjab should also get a share of the Indus River water, adding that during the war with Pakistan, the Indian government had decided to annul the Indus Water Treaty. 'Now, it is the Indian government's responsibility to appropriately distribute the remaining water and give Punjab its rightful share,' he said. Garg pointed out that like Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab is also a border state. 'Whenever war occurs, Punjab becomes the battleground. And when the country needs food grains, it becomes the granary of the nation. Now that there is water available, Punjab has a legitimate claim over it.' He highlighted that Punjab needs water today, as most of its regions have entered the dark zone. 'In the process of filling the nation's granaries, we have been deprived of our own water. Now that the Indus Water Treaty has been annulled, Punjab has the primary right over this water because it will not only bring relief to our barren lands but also boost our agriculture. When farmers prosper, the nation prospers,' he said. Garg added that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also stated, after the annulment of the Indus Treaty, that Punjab should receive a share of the water that is being prevented from flowing to Pakistan. 'Therefore, the government of India must consider this matter,' he said. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) also expressed surprise at Omar Abdullah's statement. In a statement, former Minister and senior SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said what Omar Abdullah was demanding was another attempt to do injustice to Punjab. He said that while filling the food bowl of the country, Punjab had lost its groundwater, which had fallen to alarming levels. He said the quantity of water in rivers had also gone down substantially, adding that the farmers of Punjab had taken huge debt on their shoulders to fulfil the food requirement of the country. Earlier, speaking on constructing a canal by the government of India to divert excess water from three rivers of the Indus system in Jammu and Kashmir to Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan, Chief Minister Abdullah cited the 45-year-old Shahpur Kandi barrage dispute with Punjab and asked, 'Did they give us water?'

Business Standard

33 minutes ago

• Business Standard

Operation Sindhu: Iran opens airspace for Indian evacuation flights

Iran opens airspace exclusively for Indian flights as India begins evacuating students from conflict-hit nation under Operation Sindhu Prateek Shukla New Delhi Iran has made a rare exception by permitting Indian evacuation flights to transit its otherwise restricted airspace, according to a report by NDTV. The move supports Operation Sindhu, launched by the Indian government to rescue its citizens from conflict-affected regions in Iran. The first flight carrying Indian students is expected to land in Delhi tonight at 11:00 pm IST. Two additional flights are scheduled for Saturday—one in the morning and another in the evening. Exclusive airspace access amid escalating tensions Iranian airspace has largely been closed to international flights due to continuing missile and drone attacks linked to the conflict with Israel. Despite the broader restrictions, India has been granted an exclusive air corridor to ensure the safe passage of its nationals. India formally announced Operation Sindhu on Wednesday. The Indian Embassy in Tehran is coordinating closely with the Iranian foreign ministry, particularly after reports emerged of injuries among Indian students. 'India accords highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad,' stated the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Thousands of Indians in Iran, many in northern regions There are over 4,000 Indian nationals living in Iran, with roughly half of them being students. A significant number are located in northern regions where military activity has intensified. Earlier this week, 110 students were relocated from northern Iran to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, by road. This effort was jointly managed by Indian diplomatic missions in Tehran and Yerevan. A special flight departed from Yerevan at 14:55 hours on 18 June, arriving in New Delhi in the early hours of June 19. Alongside the stranded students, many Indian pilgrims, including 28 from Lucknow, remain stuck in Iran. They began their journey on May 27 from India to Iraq and crossed into Iran on June 9. Their planned pilgrimage included visits to religious sites in Karbala, Mashhad, Tehran, Nishapur, and Kashan. A large number of these pilgrims had completed Haj, which ended with Eid on Monday, before proceeding to Iran—a route commonly followed by Shia pilgrims visiting holy shrines. Aqeel Jafar Rizvi, a tour operator with Mehndi Tours and Travels, told The Times of India, 'Over 1,000 pilgrims from Lucknow are currently in Iran, and many are facing difficulties due to a shortage of funds and limited access to essential medicines.' Shia cleric Maulana Saif Abbas has written to the MEA urging action. Gratitude expressed to regional partners 'The Indian government is grateful to the governments of Iran and Armenia for facilitating the safe passage of Indian nationals through their territories,' said an MEA spokesperson. The evacuated students were enrolled at Urmia Medical University in Iran's West Azerbaijan province, near the Turkish border— an area that has recently seen increased military movement. Of the 110 students evacuated, 90 are from Jammu and Kashmir, according to the Jammu and Kashmir Students' Association.