'Our economic progress will depend on our ability to innovate': Mukherjee

Asserting that the country's economic progress will depend on the ability to innovate, President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday said India lags behind some of the major economies in innovation.

" Though Indians comprise one-sixth of the world population, only one in 50 patent applications in the world are filed in India. We have abundant manpower whose capacity should be developed by a sustained programme of education and training. But more importantly, we should revamp the systems to encourage and generate innovation," he added.

President Mukherjee, who attended the third convocation of Nagaland University at Lumami, speaking on the occasion said 'our academic environment must be conducive for promotion of research'.

"Increasing the number of research fellowships, supporting inter-disciplinary and inter-university research partnerships and establishing industry incubation parks would help in this direction. Our system must be suited to attract Indian scientists and technologists working abroad to return and work on short-term assignments," said President Mukherjee.

"This decade is the decade of innovation. It should benefit the common man. There are grass root innovations that require technical and commercial assistance for converting them into economically viable products. Our Universities and Industry should mentor such initiatives," he added.

President Mukherjee said that as per an international survey, there is not a single Indian university amongst the top 200 universities in the world.

"There was a time when we had world class universities like Nalanda and Takshashila which attracted scholars from all over the world. We can revive our lost glory. We have the capability to take at least a few of our academic institutions into the global top league," said President Mukherjee.

"But for that, we have to change the way education is imparted in our higher educational institutions. A culture of excellence should be embedded in our thought process. Every university should identify one department that can be developed into a Centre of Excellence. I call upon the Central universities to take the lead in this transformation," he added.

President Mukherjee informed that a conference of the Vice Chancellors of Central Universities was organized in the Rashtrapati Bhavan in February this year to effect innovative changes to strengthen the higher education sector.

"The conclusions arrived at the Conference on the measures required for effecting changes in the education system are being worked upon by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. I hope that we will achieve substantial progress in a short span of time," he said.

President Mukherjee said that in the Conference of Vice Chancellors of Central Universities held this year, a recommendation was made to set up Innovators Clubs in the Central Universities to facilitate interaction between the teaching and student communities and grassroots innovators.

"Recently, I had the opportunity to open such clubs at the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow and Assam University, Silchar. I was happy to see the innovations that have been made by the young people. I am sure this initiative will soon reach all the other Central Universities," he said.

President Mukherjee congratulated the students who got their degrees, and told them that learning is a never-ending process.

"At every stage of life, there will be opportunities to learn. Keep an open mind and equip yourself to face the challenges of life with poise, sincerity and courage. My best wishes for a successful life ahead," he said.