President Ram Nath Kovind has laid emphasis on encouraging girls to pursue technical education and excel in the same manner as they do in other areas.

Addressing the 18th convocation of National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, on Sunday, he said, “our girls should be encouraged to pursue technical education and excel in the same manner as they do in other areas. The country needs more of our girls to pursue higher education, especially in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”

“Growth and excellence of women in technical areas will add a new dimension to our national development. It will promote gender empowerment at the higher levels in the field of science and technology. It will help women break the glass-ceiling in one of the most important spheres in the world of 21st century,” he said.

Observing that of 7,116 students studying in NIT, Rourkela, about 1,518 were girls constituting about 21%, Mr. Kovind said, “I happen to be the visitor of about 150 central institutions. In most of the convocations I attend across the country, I notice that our girls are outshining our boys and winning more gold medals in liberal arts, humanities, medical sciences, law and several other areas. This is indeed a heartening trend and reflects the potential of our daughters.”

Out of seven gold medals conferred on NIT, Rourkela students, three had gone to girl students. “It has been observed that the enrolment of women in technical and scientific disciplines is low. According to a recent survey, enrolment of women in engineering and technical institutes across India is only about 20%,” he pointed out.

Social responsibilities

Mr. Kovind also reiterated his appeal to universities to take up their social responsibilities more seriously.

“A university and institution must contribute towards empowering the community in its surroundings. I have been advocating ‘Universities Social Responsibility’ in line with ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’. I am happy to note that NIT Rourkela has adopted five villages, as part of ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’,” he said.

The President hailed a poverty alleviation research centre operating in campus for the less-privileged people of Kalahandi, Balangir and Koraput region of Odisha.

The NIT, Rourkela, is second largest government-run technology institute in eastern India. Over 7,000 students from 33 out of the total 36 States and Union Territories and 17 different countries study in this 700-acre campus. The President is also scheduled to inaugurate state-of-the-art super speciality hospital at Rourkela in the afternoon.