Education system needs to be reoriented for students to become

Former president Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday said the Indian education system needs to be "re-oriented" to enable students to become "risk takers and innovators".

Mukherjee, during his address at a special convocation ceremony of Techno India University, advocated for an education system which would help students to achieve practical goals.

"In every sphere of our lives, the influence of science and technology is becoming so pervasive that human existence is simply inconsiderable in its absence," he said.

The former parliamentarian also stressed on innovative approaches, as "it provides a competitive edge in businesses and provides solutions for effective governance".

"For students to become risk takers and innovators, our education system needs to re-orientate itself to achieve necessary practical and technical goals," Mukherjee asserted during his address.

Science and technology are all about taking risks and failing, he said.

"The most important tool that a person in a technical profession should possess is the power to think creatively and analytically. Selection process for students should be based on these criteria," Mukherjee, who was awarded Bharat Ratna last year, said.

On the occasion, the university announced a scholarship scheme named after the former president.

The "Bharat Ratna Shri Pranab Mukherjee scholarship" will be awarded to meritorious students of the university, an institute official said.