G. Viswanathan, Founder-Chancellor of VIT, recently urged both central and state governments to significantly boost funding for education. His call aims to empower more students, particularly those in rural communities, to pursue higher education opportunities.
Speaking at an international conference focused on ‘Transformative Higher Education Enhancing Student and Faculty Mobility,’ organized by VIT, he highlighted India’s current education expenditure. He noted that India allocates less than 3% of its GDP to education, a figure considerably lower than the 5-6% or more spent by many other nations.
Viswanathan stressed that a nation’s economic progress is directly tied to its educational advancements. He asserted that without providing robust educational foundations for its youth, India cannot achieve its aspirations of becoming a developed and urbanized nation.
He also pointed to recent improvements in relations between India and China, suggesting that this positive shift could foster greater collaboration, learning, and healthy competition among students from both countries. Education, he believes, is key to preparing future generations for such partnerships.
The Chancellor further elaborated on the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, noting its intention to dismantle the traditional affiliation system between colleges and universities. This change, he explained, is expected to enhance India’s global competitiveness in student exchange programs within higher education.
Furthermore, Viswanathan advocated for better support for Indian students studying abroad. He called upon developed nations to consider assisting students from developing countries, particularly with tuition costs. He cited examples where some Northern European countries offer free education to international students, while others charge only a nominal fee. He emphasized that all developed nations should extend similar compassion and support to students from less affluent backgrounds.
The conclave saw participation from delegates representing 27 countries. Notable attendees included Zaw Myint, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education, Myanmar; Ganesanathan Geathiswaran, Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka; and VIT Vice-Presidents Sankar Viswanathan and Sekar Viswanathan.