Indore, Madhya Pradesh: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, inaugurated the Pradhan Mantri Colleges of Excellence in all 55 districts of Madhya Pradesh from Indore on Sunday. The event was attended by several dignitaries, including Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav and Union Minister Savitri Thakur.
In his address, Amit Shah highlighted the visionary target set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to elevate India to the top position in every field globally by 2047, marking 100 years of independence. Shah emphasized that achieving such an ambitious goal necessitates a robust educational foundation, which is why the New Education Policy (NEP) was introduced in 2020.
“Prime Minister Modi’s foresight led to the introduction of the New Education Policy, designed to meet our needs and requirements for the next 25 years,” Shah stated. He added that the NEP aims to create an enabling environment for students to compete globally while remaining connected to India’s ancient culture and languages.
Congratulating the Madhya Pradesh government, Shah lauded the state for being the first to implement the NEP. He noted that Madhya Pradesh has previously translated the curriculum of engineering and medical science into the mother tongue, benefiting many students from poor backgrounds.
The Pradhan Mantri Colleges of Excellence initiative is more than just renaming institutions. “An investment of ₹486 crores has been made to upgrade these colleges to meet the standards required for this recognition,” Shah said. He explained that the initiative promotes interdisciplinary education, allowing students to pursue diverse subjects and diploma courses alongside their main degrees.
Shah praised Madhya Pradesh for making the NEP a reality, stating, “The purpose of education is to bring out all the strengths in students and give them a platform to grow.” He emphasized the importance of nurturing inner talents and strengths over rote learning.
The newly inaugurated colleges will offer courses in subjects such as Biotechnology, Computer Science, Culture, Arts, and Agriculture. Shah highlighted that these courses would connect youth to agriculture, creating new opportunities for self-employment. He also mentioned collaborations with prestigious institutions like IIT Delhi for various diploma and certificate courses.
Shah noted that Indore is progressing towards becoming an education hub, alongside its reputation in sectors like pharma, automobile, textile, and food processing. He commended the state’s initiatives for higher education under the NEP, which include introducing new courses and creating new universities.
“The New Education Policy focuses on idea generation rather than memorization, aiming for the 360-degree development of students,” Shah said. He urged the youth to set goals, work hard, and embrace the opportunities provided by the internet, artificial intelligence, and data analytics.