Concerned over increasing cases of crimes against women and children, President Pranab Mukherjee today said educational institutions should take a lead as the onus of inculcating values in young lies on their shoulders.
Noting that these unfortunate incidents call for effective measures for women's safety and security, he said the recent incidents also underscore urgency to "introspect" and find solutions to arrest the erosion of values in our society.
"Our educational institutions, beginning from schools, should take the lead in meeting the moral challenges of our times and ensure upholding of civilisational values of love for motherland, performance of duty and compassion for all.
"They should also ensure that tolerance for pluralism, respect for women and elderly, truth and honesty in life, discipline and self-restraint in conduct, and responsibility in action are fully entrenched in the young minds," he said while inaugurating Maharaja Agrasen University at Kalujhanda in Solan, Himachal Pradesh.
Stressing on making the best use of our demographic dividend, the President said the country can once again revive the lost glory of higher education system, and take at least a few of our universities into the global top league.
"There is a need to instill a culture of excellence in them. Every university should identify at least one department that can be made into a centre of excellence," he said.
Mukherjee also asserted the need for good faculty and filling vacancies as its lack is hampering standard of education with "many bright students prefer going abroad for higher studies".
The private sector should be encouraged to play an important role in expanding higher education in our country, he said, adding, international experience shows private sector and alumni participation are behind the success of top universities like Harvard, Yale and Stanford.
