Education is only a means, not an end: Dr Jitendra Singh 

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said that education is only a means and not an end in itself. He was addressing the 95th Foundation Day function of Jamia Milia Islamia University here today.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that education can be a means to learn the skills or to groom the inner talent to gain employment, but education without skill or without talent may not per se help an individual to become employable. He also said that education can help a person to become a better citizen through the study of scriptures and books of social or moral relevance, but education, per se, alone may not make an individual socially relevant, he added. He said that the end is far beyond and the journey to reach the end is continuous and education is like a road on which this journey is to be undertaken.

Complimenting the faculty and students of Jamia Milia for being a part of one of the most cherished universities of India, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that besides Jamia Milia there are only two or three other universities in the country which were not established as a part of a planned state or corporate initiative, but were a result of passion of certain individuals who were committed to prove that they could make it, notwithstanding all other constraints. Just as Jamia Milia was the brainchild of great educationalist Dr. Zakir Hussain, Banaras Hindu University was the result of similar passion of Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya and Aligarh Muslim University result of passion of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, he added.

Dwelling on certain contradictions and confusion in today’s education system, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that for an education pattern to be absolutely relevant, it has to be essentially based on social and economical determinants of any given time. He said that unfortunately, education sometimes tends to lose its relevance partially because of the conditioned approach of the teachers themselves or social competitiveness among parents who are keen to push their adolescent children into all sorts of tutorials and coaching classes without themselves being clear about what actually they expect from their children. This queer phenomenon, he said, often ends up making the aptitude a casualty and thus even the most highly educated youngsters may be unable to live up to their expected parameters.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the present Government headed by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi encourages healthy innovation, fruitful experimentation and out-of-box initiatives. In this context, he announced the introduction of India’s first ever formal post graduate degree course in North-East studies which will begin in Jamia Milia University from the next academic year.

Calling upon the students to become a part of “Make in India” initiative, he also appealed to the faculty members and researchers to evolve “Make in India” reforms in India’s education system, which will be best suited to the Indian conditions.

Prof. Talat Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, Jamia Milia Islamia University and faculty members and students were present during the Foundation day celebrations.