India’s Future Lies in Quality Education and Focus Must be on Soft Power- Jaitley

FM Arun Jaitley presides over Historic Khalsa College’s 108^thConvocation in Amritsar

CM Badal, Union Minister Harsimrat, Vijay Sampla also present

Amritsar, July 14 (Dharmendera Singh Rataul) – Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely who presided over the 108^th annual Convocation of the historic Khalsa College, here today stated that the future of the country lies in imparting of quality education. He said emerging world is world of ideas and innovations and education must aims to shape minds and seed ideas for the progress of the human race.

            While distributing the post-graduate classes degrees to 226 students and gold medals to other 50 students, Jaitley in his convocation address said quality education is must to enable students to compete in the emerging competitive world. He said in human history after agriculture, the industry and now the focus is on the `soft competency’.

            “There is world’s largest transport company which does not own even a single vehicle. There is a biggest online retail network, which does not own even one retail store. In the coming times the banks and stores would be available only online’’, said he adding that our education system must focus on the future needs of the country and how we can make it to join the comity of the developed nations.

            Talking about Punjab, he said the border state had faced numerous challenges and they were aware of its peculiar problems including the need for more infrastructure and industrial growth and the Centre was committed to the state government to overcome the problems. Jaitley lauded the heritage architectural building of the college and said he has not seen building of an educational institution of its kind throughout the world. He appreciated Khalsa College’s contribution to the society by imparting quality education.

            Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal also stated that the Centre’s NDA government is aware of the various problems being faced by Punjab and need to address those as he also batted for quality education and peace and harmony in the state. CM announced a special grant of Rs.50 lakhs for the development of the College. Union Ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Vijay Sampla, President Khalsa College Governing Council Satyajit Singh Majithia, Honourary Secretary Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina and vice President Charanjit Singh Chadha, Principal, Dr. Mehal Sing, BJP Punjab Chief Kamal Sharma were present during the academic function.

            Majithia earlier showered praises on Jaitley in his welcome address and called him a person with futuristic outlook in whose hands the country’s treasury was safer. He said in the hour of economic slowdown, the responsibility on his shoulder was larger. Chhina later thanked the dignitaries for sparing time for the Convocation program.

            Other present included Cabinet Ministers Bikram Singh Majithia, Ranjit Singh Rahampura, former Ministers Manoranjan Kalia, Tikshan Sud, Tarun Chugh, Amarpal Singh Bony, Mayor Bakshi Ram Arora, district officials, Principals of Khalsa Institutions and faculty members were also present.