Govt mulling regular students-community leaders interaction

The Centre is mulling introducing a period in schools dedicated to interaction between community leaders and students from the next academic year.
Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani said that the idea is to inspire students with such engagements with key figures from different walks of life, who contribute to development and betterment of society.
"Hopefully by next year we will have a period in our schools on engagement with community leaders or those who contribute to the development and welfare of our community," she said, responding to questions from the attendees of an international conference on 'Women in Law Enforcement' during the valedictory ceremony at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA) here.

The Union minister responded to the queries via video-conferencing.
"...Engaging our schoolchildren with army and police officers, farmers, nurses, firemen and women...I am sure that in such engagements, in schools particularly, we can have presence of female officers," the Minister said.
"So, we will sensitise states that they do engage our children through these community engagements. We will do put forth many women officers so that children can get inspired by their physical presence also in the institutions," Irani said.

When an IPS lady officer drew her attention that in Rajasthan, police had collaborated with schools in many districts and teaching girls in self-defence modules, Irani said "it becomes a case study for us and we can start in 3-4 states together as a pilot project and then make it a national programme on a test-run basis."

Responding to various queries raised by participants, Irani welcomed the suggestion that a National Police University be set up in the country and assured women police officers that the idea would be presented to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
With the three-day Conference coming to a close, Aruna Bahuguna, Director, SVPNPA emphasised that "many issues and concerns relating to law enforcement are both complex and challenging and that this Conference had enabled women police officers to: explore different facets and dimensions of these issues and strengthened their professional development and leadership abilities.