This document summarizes 10 excerpts from convocation speeches given by Narendra Modi at various universities in Gujarat. The speeches discuss the history and importance of convocation ceremonies according to ancient Indian texts. Modi emphasizes the power of youth and encourages students to have a lifelong commitment to learning, develop fearlessness and decisiveness, and use their skills and education to benefit society.

2. 2 ●2 ●
10 must-reads from
convocation speeches by
Shri Narendra Modi
Compiled by
Roshni Agarwal Bawari

3. ● 3● 3
Introduction
1. The history of convocation
2. The Students’ Life
3. The role of institutions & universities
4. The case of Eklavya – the perfect disciple!
5. Learning – a lifelong process, the DNA of life!
6. Fearlessness and Decisiveness –
the strengths of youth!
7. The power of Youth
8. Innovations – to solve the crises of the World!
9. India – the youthful country
10. The development of education in Gujarat
Contents

4. 4 ●4 ●
Introduction

5. ● 5● 5
S
hri Narendra Modi has been a profound supporter of
education and has taken education in Gujarat to new
heights. However busy he may be, he makes sure
he takes time out from his busy schedule to inspire youth
with his thoughts whenever he is invited to a convocation
ceremony; as for Shri Narendra Modi, a convocation
ceremony is an initiation ceremony of a student in a new
world of challenges, decision-making and reality!
‘10 must-reads from convocation speeches by Shri Narendra
Modi’ is an e-book with a compilation of excerpts from his
most inspiring speeches delivered at convocation ceremonies
of various universities and institutions in Gujarat. In his
speeches, he has spoken on various issues such as history of
convocation ceremony as mentioned in Taittiriya Upanishad,
his belief in the power of youth, Gujarat’s initiatives to
empower youth with holistic education, and much more.

6. 6 ●6 ●
(Speech Reference: List of Shri Narendra Modi’s speeches
at various convocation ceremonies )
• 1st Convocation Ceremony of Pandit Deendayal
Petroleum University (May 28, 2009)
• 42nd Annual Convocation Ceremony of Veer Narmad
South Gujarat University (Feb 26, 2011)
• 46th convocation Ceremony of the Indian Institute of
Management-Ahmedabad (IIMA) (March 27, 2011)
• 2nd Convocation Ceremony of Pandit Deendayal
Petroleum University (Sept 27, 2011)
• 3rd Convocation Ceremony of Gujarat National Law
University ( Jan 21, 2012)
• 34th Convocation Ceremony of Veer Narmad Varsity
(Feb 26, 2012)
• 43rd Annual Convocation Ceremony of Veer Narmad
South Gujarat University (Feb 27, 2012)

7. ● 7● 7
The
history
of convocation
1

8. 8 ●8 ●
I
n our culture Diksha is accorded even greater importance
than Shiksha (education). Our education is deemed
incomplete without this initiation ceremony. The first
mention of Diksha dates back to the Taittiriya Upanishad. In
our traditional Gurukul system, the educators took lot of tests
and examinations even after the formal education process
was completed. As part of their day to day activities, they
were made to take instant decisions, perform according to
the knowledge imparted to them while the students remained
unaware that they were being tested and evaluated. The
studentas were observed very minutely and it was only when
the educator was convinced that the student had passed the
tests that they were conferred the degree and allowed to
venture into other stages of life. The student years are the
best times in anybody’s life. Once we receive our degree,
there is a sense of happiness but at the same time there come
lots of responsibilities.

9. ● 9● 9
There’s a brilliant address in the Taittiriya Upanishad, in
which the Guru delivers the convocation speech to students
who were leaving the Gurukul and entering the outside world,
a world full of struggle and challenges. The students of the
Gurukul were given key ideas on how they should live their
lives dedicated to their culture consistent with what has been
taught to them as the goal and way of life. In the convocation
address the Guru emphasizes on the following qualities.
1. The practice of what is right and proper as indicated
in the scriptures (ritam);
2. Living up to the ideals that have been intellectually
comprehended during the studies (satyam);
3. A spirit of self-sacrifice and self-denial (tapas);
4. Control of the senses (dama);
5. Tranquility of the mind (sama);
6. Maintenance of a charitable and ready kitchen at home
in the service of all deserving hungry fellow beings
(agni);
7. Practice of concentration and ritualism through fire
worship as was in vogue in the society during those
days; and
8. Doing one’s duty towards humanity, towards one’s
children and grandchildren and towards the society.

10. 10 ●10 ●
Continuing the ‘Convocation Address’, the teacher says:
having taught the Vedas, the preceptor enjoins the pupil:
“Speak the truth, do your duty, never swerve from the study
of the Vedas; do not cut off the line of descendants in your
family. Never deviate from the truth, never fail in your
duty, never overlook your own welfare, never neglect your
prosperity and study”.
Watch: Shri Narendra Modi at 34th Convocation of Veer
Narmad Varsity -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5FRaRIod-M&feature=player_embedded

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The
Students’
Life
2

12. 12 ●12 ●
F
riends, the student years are the best stage in
anybody’s life. There is someone or the other who
holds our fingers, helps us navigate the path ahead;
if we miss the path there is always someone to guide us.
When the going gets tough there is always someone who
gives us assurances that things will be fine again. This is
a stage when we get help from someone or the other, be it
our teachers or faculty members and we are in a protected
environment. But it is after getting the degree that the real
trials and tribulations of life start. There aren’t many people
to guide us and we have to choose our own paths. It’s not
difficult to set our targets but it is difficult to get through the
way to them.
Today the mantra for success is how best you can utilize
your wisdom gained through the continuous process of
learning. Only two things can lead one to achieve real success

13. ● 13● 13
in life and that is by inculcating human values and learning
to live in amity with others. Education after all cannot be
an end to itself; it is a means and a student must apply
his knowledge for betterment of self, community and the
country. To be able to do this the student should first learn
the importance of humility.
It would be incomplete if I fail to say something about what
life means outside the portals of colleges and universities.
There is a vast difference between learning from books in a
protected environment of our universities and experiencing
the real world outside. For those who are now at the
threshold of a new dawn, this day when you will venture out
into a world full of challenges is an important and exciting
one. Facing a tough life outside needs both a vision and
purpose in life.
It is not my intention to scare you when I say the world
outside is a ‘big, bad, world’. The world is only as big or
as bad as you make it out to be. Yes, there are difficulties
but none that you won’t be able to surmount; yes, there are
obstacles but none that you cannot overcome.
The greatest quality that a person can possess is the quality
of self-belief. If you believe you can, you can. If you believe
you won’t, you most certainly won’t. Belief is the ignition
switch that gets you off the launching pad, for defeat is not
the worst of failures, not to have tried is the true failure.

14. 14 ●14 ●
The memories of student life are a treasure forever. These
memories come of great use when your children are enrolled
in some university or the other. You can advice them as per
your experiences so that the children hear things their parents
did while they were getting university education. And it is
necessary that you take important values of life with you.
Take such memories with you that will give strength, new
pace and opportunity to scale new heights.

15. ● 15● 15
The role of
Institutions &
Universities
3

16. 16 ●16 ●
W
hat is the aim of university education? A
good education should help students pose the
question “what is it to be human?” in relation
to his or her highest aspirations as opposed to the common
needs and become aware that the answer is neither obvious
nor simple. Each one of you should be able to ask the
question “what should life mean to me?” Life has no proper
meaning. You have to create a meaning for your life. It’s
your responsibility; you should work towards make your life
meaningful! Swami Vivekananda said “Arise, Awake and
stop not till the goal is reached”, and that is the only way to
live a meaningful life.
Friends, only one university can’t decide the future of a
person. One university can’t claim for the change in the future
of a person but the efforts of one university can definitely
prepare the youth who are capable of changing the future.

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Friends, every institution has its own strength, its own
identity. Today we might have gathered here to give life
a new turn but this will always be a part of our life and
therefore whatever we will achieve, it will be prestigious
for the institution too.
Whatever you have got from your institute, whatever you are
taking with yourself; you will put it into action wherever you
will be working. You will fulfill the technical job assigned
to you. This is not the only thing this institution has given
you. When you will enter that new environment the whole
institution will observe the way you behave and perform.
Let me share the ringing words of the greatAmerican essayist
Ralph Waldo Emerson who brought out the true meaning of
education:
”We are shut up in schools and college recitation rooms
for ten or fifteen years, and come out at last with a bellyful
of words and do not know a thing. The things taught in
schools and colleges are not an education, but the means of
education.”
Friends, we don’t want to make robots in universities; we
want to create humans. We can’t shape a world with the help
of robots made out of technical know-how.We can’t be useful
to humankind if there are no sentiments in life, no matter
how good we are at technology and knowledge.

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The case of
Eklavya – The
perfect disciple!
4

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S
ometime I think who was the greatest student and I
am reminded of Eklavya. Eklavya who was born to a
poor family became a master archer surpassing even
the Great Arjuna because of his will, effort, determination
and perseverance. There was nobody to teach Eklavya. He
visualized his teacher, made his statue and started learning
himself. The story is very well known till here but what is a
tradition for a student afterwards. What should be his gesture
towards those imparting knowledge to him.
I would like to share an incident here. Once, a film shooting
was going on where Shri Mithun Chakraborty was playing
the hero. It was nearby Patna in Bihar and it continued for
around a week. Shri Mithun Chakraborty was playing a tribal
in the movie. The tribal people from the nearby areas used to
gather daily to watch the shooting. The shooting went on for
almost a week and people used to enjoy it very peacefully.

20. 20 ●20 ●
In one of the shots, the hero had to use bow and arrow. As
soon as this scene started to be shot, the tribal people sitting
there got angry and crossed their borders to run to the hero.
They snatched the bow and arrow from Mithun Chakraborty.
Everybody got scared despite police arrangements.
Everybody was wondering what happened; why they got
angry. The tribals told him he was insulting their forefathers.
Everybody got surprised including the script writer.They told
him everything else was fine but by using his thumb while
using the bow and arrow he was insulting their forefathers
as their forefather was Eklavya and he had given his thumb
as his ‘Guru Dakshina’. They told since then they don’t use
their thumb while using the bow and arrow. By this incident
you can think how the ideologies get transferred.
Even after thousands of years they have retained this
ideology and respect for Eklavya, their forefather. They have
learnt it that way to continue their tradition. Friends, this is
the ideal example of how the gesture of a student towards
teachers should be.
Watch: Shri Narendra Modi addressing the 3rd
convocation of Gujarat National Law University -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EicaIJp7hLI&feature=player_embedded

21. ● 21● 21
Learning – a
lifelong process,
the DNA of life!
5

22. 22 ●22 ●
T
here is this story about a university professor who
went to visit a famous Zen master to learn Zen
meditation. While the master quietly served tea,
the professor kept talking about how learned he was and
how he was the best disciple the master could ever get. The
master said nothing, but simply kept pouring tea into the
visitor’s cup. The cup got filled right up to the brim, and yet
the master simply continued pouring. The professor watched
the overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself.
“It’s overflowing! No more will go in!” the professor blurted.
The master stopped pouring, looked calmly at the professor,
and said, “You are like this cup.” You must be open to ideas
all the time. Don’t even for a moment think that you have
learnt all that there is to learn.
Each breath you take ushers in a new present, and each
subsequent breath will be a moment in the future. Revel in
the freshness of the present without resting on the laurels

23. ● 23● 23
of the past, and you shall realize that the world opens up
new experiences for you with every passing second. You
might obviously be thinking about what there is to learn
after having gone through so many years of academic rigor.
However, when one faces the real world, one realizes that
it’s not any particular knowledge that one needs; rather it’s
just the ability to know how to learn, simply because we’re
not going to know what’s going to be needed in the future.
One needs to be constantly able to learn and adapt to new
environments and new knowledge.
Don’t think that you cease to be a student once you leave a
campus because if you think so it means you have lost life.
Friends, we should remain students for lifetime. You should
be ready and yearn to learn from every moment of life. The
basic elements of life need to be associated with learning.
The learning process should be a part of your DNA. Being
a student for life should be part of your DNA and only then
there are chances of progress in life. Friends this year is
150th birth anniversary of SwamiVivekananda.When we are
celebrating this 150th birth anniversary, Gujarat Government
has decided to celebrate it as the ‘Year ofYouth Power.’This
will not be restricted to just essay competitions or debates;
we are focusing on a wider scope of increasing skill and
ability. Friends, in life skills are as important as education.
Many a times if skill doesn’t develop, the education remains
useless and gets wasted.

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Fearlessness and
Decisiveness –
the strengths of
youth!
6

25. ● 25● 25
S
uccess rarely comes to someone who is not sure
of himself. We need to develop a vision that is
promising to unravel our full potential. Admitting
defeat means you lose the will to surmount difficulties. ‘Fall
seven times, stand up eight times’, goes an old Japanese
saying. Recall how Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to
climb Mount Everest, refused to admit defeat when he failed
the first time. On May 29, 1953 he scaled successfully the
highest mountain then known to man though he had failed
in 1952. Soon after his disappointing effort in 1952 a group
in England called him to address its members and as Hillary
walked to the stage amid thunderous applause the audience
clearly saw a man who had attempted the impossible. But
Edmund Hillary saw himself as a failure. He moved away
from the microphone and walked to the edge of the platform
and making a fist he pointed at a picture of the mountain and
said in a loud voice, “Mount Everest, you beat me the first

26. 26 ●26 ●
time, but I’ll beat you the next time because you’ve grown all
you are going to grow… but I’m still growing!” That is the
spirit we need to adopt if we want to move ahead in life. Our
desire for success should be greater than our fear of failure.
It is worth remembering what the famous American writer
Dale Carnegie once said, “Don’t be afraid to give your best
to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer
one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs
well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves.”
You all must have read or heard about Harry Potter, who is
now weaving his magic even in Hollywood. However, not
many people know how difficult it was for the magic to begin.
J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter books, is among the

27. ● 27● 27
richest women in this planet. However, when Rowling wrote
the first Harry Potter book in 1995, it was rejected by 12
different publishers. Even Bloomsbury, the small publishing
house that finally purchased Rowling’s manuscript, told the
author to “get a day job.” At the time when Rowling was
writing the original Harry Potter book, her life was a self-
described mess. She was going through a divorce and living
in a tiny flat with her daughter. Rowling was surviving on
government subsidies, and her mother had just passed away
from multiple sclerosis. At such a bleak juncture in her
life, what do you think carried her through? The answer is
simple: a tiny little voice that arises from within and says,
yes you can. J.K. Rowling followed that voice and turned
these negatives into a positive by devoting most of her free
time to the Harry Potter series. She in fact also drew from
her bad personal experiences when writing. The result is now
a brand name currently worth nearly $15 billion, but more
importantly, a name which shall be remembered as having
gotten children across the world back to reading books and
discovering the attics of their imagination.
Friends, in a society indecisive people neither get anything
nor give anything. Only those who can take firm decisions can
reach their desired targets. The valuable time of indecisive
people gets wasted. You might have seen such people living
in frustration; even if there are lots of options available in

28. 28 ●28 ●
a situation, because of their nature they just can’t decide
which one to go for and opportunities run out of their hands.
Ultimately they have to settle for whatever is left. They just
can’t decide. This happens very often. Many people even
in the situation of critical illness can’t decide about their
treatment. They waste time thinking which doctor to go for
and situation worsens so much that even the doctors can’t
cure it. Reason? Indecisiveness. Friends, there should be no
connection between youth and Indecisiveness. If you are
young you have to be decisive and if you are not decisive
that means you are not young. If you feel ‘I’m very scared;
I may fall if I’ll move’ that means you have lost a youth in
yourself. Therefore coming out of indecisiveness and being
decisive is the pre condition for being called young. Those
who are decisive are courageous too.
It is rightly said that those who fear competition are doomed
to lead a mediocre life. In the emerging globally competitive
era it is the intangible knowledge capital which counts the
most. Today the world has shrunk, thanks to knowledge
revolution. It is no more correct to refer to a country as
“distant country.” Thanks to the technological revolution,
the world has shrunk into being a global village. Therefore
whatever education a university or institutes of higher
education imparts, it must achieve the global level of bench
marking given the vastness and diversity of global village

29. ● 29● 29
we live in today.And towards these end friends, Gujarat has
spared no effort in charting a course that pursues a path of
integration in the global village setup.
What are the determinants of success? First, explore what
success means to you. Then you should take control of your
life by developing self-motivation, self-confidence, and
greater sense of personal control. Develop a personal mission
for you, set goals in major areas of your life, understand your
values; then align your mission, goals and these values.
Develop courage and persistence by overcoming self imposed
limitations such as fear. Develop resilience. If you have clear
sense of purpose and goals then you will be better focused
and will be able to concentrate, and the more responsibility
you are capable of taking the more self esteem, confidence
and personal pride will grow. And if you dream and pray in
the process, you would succeed.
Let us dream and pray with the great poet Rabindranath
Tagore when he says:
“Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high,
Where knowledge is free,
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by
narrow domestic walls,
Where words come out from the depth of truth,

30. 30 ●30 ●
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards
perfection,
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into
the dreary desert sand of dead habit,
Where the mind is led forward by thee into that heaven of
freedom,
My Father, let my country wake”.
Read: The complete text ofShri Narendra Modi’s
speech at the 42nd Annual Convocation of Veer
Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat -
http://www.narendramodi.in/speech-at-the-42nd-annual-convocation-of-veer-
narmad-south-gujarat-university/

31. ● 31● 31
The power
of Youth
7

32. 32 ●32 ●
I
have great faith in the power of youth. Youth have the
potential, honesty and courage to bring about a radical
change.After 30, old age starts and perhaps that is why
hippies say “don’t trust a man beyond thirty”. Scientists say
that all the cells in the human body are replaced totally once
in seven years. They have also identified the major changes
which take place in human life depending upon the seven-
year cycle of change in the human body. One of the most
interesting observations is that the age between 21 to 28 is
the phase of rebellion, creative thinking and new ventures.
Then in the next phase of 28 to 35, man becomes family
oriented and starts believing in what John Kenneth Galbraith
called conventional wisdom. In the following phases of
cyclical change man becomes more and more ritualistic,
and starts resisting any change and becomes more and more
interested in security rather than going out for new ventures.
In short it is the strength in youth, which can bring about

33. ● 33● 33
a paradigm shift. So you cannot only dream big things, but
also have the potential in you to transform your dreams into
reality.
Gujarat has undertaken the leadership for the 2nd green
revolution in India. We have reached the first spot among the
states of India. We progressed in the business and industrial
sector, we progressed in the agriculture sector and we are also
progressing in the service sector. There is one more dream
and that is to get importance of Gujarat in the academic
world too. In the whole intellectual world the youth power
of my Gujarat give contributions in the field of research
and innovations, give new ideologies and directions in 21st
century and give inventions; these are our dreams. The youth
in India has got the capability. Gujarat is a productive land.
I call out to every youth in India to come to Gujarat and
perform at their best.
Friends, I find two qualities in the youth power. A youth
is capable of bringing things together and changing the
direction too. They can come together and bring changes.
There is no need of breaking anything, but need is to bring
changes. Change the direction of a flow and move it in a right
direction; this is what a youth should be capable of. And the
youth which has this power can change the coming era.
Friends, only those people succeed in the world that changed
their directions. Only those who don’t follow the traditions

34. 34 ●34 ●
blindly and carve their own path can bring changes in the
lives and the world. Friends, come, let’s too call out loud and
bring changes, find new paths, make people walk on the new
path we have found. Let’s try to bring changes. Let’s move
further together with the dreams of bringing changes. Let’s
make our lives more complete and fulfill what the world
expects from us.
Watch: Shri Narendra Modi calling on youth to innovate
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ckMK1LTpzA

35. ● 35● 35
Innovations – to
solve the crises
of the World!
8

36. 36 ●36 ●
T
here is a huge difference in the yardstick of growth
of humankind today and the yardstick of growth
of humankind in the past. It was an era of different
thinking when the growth of humankind was evaluated on
the criteria of how controlled the life was with the minimum
usage of natural resources. At that time the exploitation of
nature was considered as a crime. Today the times have
changed, and all criteria have changed. Today your growth
is evaluated on the basis of consumption of it; the more you
consume the better your growth.
There are so many nations of the world whose only agenda
of meetings is how to handle the energy crisis. On one hand
the whole world is experiencing this crisis and on other hand
the consumption of resources is kept as the yardstick of
growth; in this situation the biggest challenge for the youth
is to choose the way out of the thinking of humankind and
the current situation of resources.

37. ● 37● 37
On one hand there is financial crisis while on other hand
there is energy crisis.As long as financial crisis is concerned
the problem can be solved over a period of few years with
the help of changing situations. But if we want to save
humankind from energy crisis, it is necessary for us to rethink
seriously about energy sector with a holistic approach.
Once I wrote a letter to our Prime Minister and requested
him that as there are different organizations of countries of
the world, e.g. SAARC summit, India should take initiative
and create an organization of countries that are rich in solar
power, the countries which get most benefits of the solar
power. These countries should come together, create a corpus
fund, open up new dimensions of research and develop easy
and affordable methods to give benefits of solar energy to
the humankind. I believe that the day is not far when India
will be leading such organization of countries rich in solar
power. The petroleum university of Gujarat will also put its
valuable contribution in the solar energy sector and we will
follow the path of change in the world.
The whole world should think collectively and find new
direction and strategy to save the humankind from a
forthcoming crisis. When these problems are to be solved
it can’t be done only with energy resources. To solve these

38. 38 ●38 ●
problems we will need the human chain to utilize these
resources, we will need capable youth power to manage
these energy resources. Therefore just the way energy
sources are important to decide about the crisis; the human
resource related to solving the problem is equally important.
Gujarat has thought about and understood these long term
requirements.
There are young people who have got talent and innovative
ideas but don’t have resources. To change the fate of such
youth we have started the institution ‘I-create’. If you have
got talent, come; this Government will give you opportunity
and resources. You do your experiments and give this world
an innovative idea. I invite all the young people to ‘I-create’
and fulfill their dreams. We will have to solve the crisis in the
world! And for that there is need of innovations & capacity
to take risks. Gandhiji is the greatest example of it. Such was
the capability of that great soul that with a fistful of salt he
shook the whole empire. This is the power of the waters of
Sabarmati and you also have had it. Something new has to
be given to the world.And when a youth puts his efforts and
time in an innovation the world certainly gets something.
Friends, how farsighted were our deep-thinking forefathers?
In our mythology there is a mention of ‘Surya Rath’which is
towed by seven horses. We have heard about it and have seen
the pictures too. Gujarat is the only state of India where on

39. ● 39● 39
the banks of river Tapi the whole energy sector works with
such horses. Nuclear energy is one horse, gas based energy
is another horse, lignite based energy is third horse, hydro
is 4th, thermal 5th, solar is 6th, and wind 7th. All the types

40. 40 ●40 ●
of horses are running at the same place and it is an example
to the world!
Watch: Shri Narendra Modi talking about solving world
crises at 1st Convocation of the PDPU University -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4J2v08uA8E

41. ● 41● 41
India – the
youthful country
9

42. 42 ●42 ●
W
e are lucky that we are the people of India
that is the country with highest population
of youth. We are rich in youth power. At the
time when the developed countries of the world are moving
ahead with higher population of older people we have an
opportunity to conquer the world with our youth power.
If the 21st century is the century ofAsia and we want to make
it the century of India then the valuable treasure of our youth
power will have to be turned into a global workforce. The
future of India will also depend on it. Friends, if we take a
look at the current situation; it is unfortunate for our country
that the average of people getting higher education is only 11
% while in the developed countries it is 55% and in Asia it
is 22%. This means that 89% of our people of the age group
of 18-23 are such who didn’t get the opportunity of higher
education. If we want to be seen on the World map of 21st

43. ● 43● 43
century then it is our prime responsibility to see that we take
our people of the age group of 18-23 at the new heights of
education. How to give a new direction to our education
system and how to fulfill the requirements of it? India will
not get benefit only by planning its future education policies
simply on the basis of skill education. If we will put more
stress on the knowledge based society only then will we be
able to fulfill the requirement of the world by contributing
to the human resource development.
The focus on higher education in particular and education
in general is essential because in knowledge based 21st

44. 44 ●44 ●
century, Gujarat can contribute only if it makes relevant
research and innovations in education and these research
and innovations should be totally relevant and compatible
to international standards and quality. For this purpose, our
government has taken important steps and policy decisions.
As research is considered vital & essential part of quality and
value education, several programmes have been incorporated
to encourage students and teachers for research orientation
work. For providing a platform to all knowledge based
institutions we have established Knowledge Consortium of
Gujarat(KCG) which has initiated the process to develop
repository for the research scholars across the nation as well
as developing network between research scholars, guides
across the state. With a view to develop capabilities of
teachers in communication technology and related subjects,
KCG, Department of Education has launched initiative
Knowledge Management Programme (KMP). Under this
initiative training for capabilities building is provided in the
area of English and Computer for enabling our teachers to
have access to knowledge resources. This initiative shall help
them to develop awareness and acquisition at International
level in their respective subject areas.
When I started all these some eight years back, people were
not aware about higher education. Friends, today the situation
is that more people are opting for higher education. The large

45. ● 45● 45
number of deprived, the backward people, the tribal; all are
going for education. Therefore in this budget a significant
amount of 100 crore is assigned for building hostels for those
who are coming from far of area for education.
More than 65% of people in India are of the age of less
than 35 years. These young and bright will be the dreams
of a country which has so much of youth power. It was the
dream of Swami Vivekananda that with these young and
bright dreams, our motherland becomes the world leader.
And we are lucky that we are born in this era when our 65%
population is young and with the skill, capacity, knowledge
and education of the youth we are capable to fulfill his
dream. Swami Vivekananda told he could see that one-day
India will be a world leader. Friends, 150 years have passed
and now the responsibility lies on our shoulders to fulfill his
dream. As youth, let’s take an oath that we will make India
a world leader!
Watch: Shri Narendra Modi’s complete address at
the 46th convocation ceremony of IIM-Ahmedabad -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzC63YF7Fks

46. 46 ●46 ●
Development of
education in
Gujarat
10

47. ● 47● 47
1
st century is the‘knowledge century’. It is said
that this is India’s century. The statement is
a fact as well as a challenge. This is a fact2because whenever in human history there has been a focus
on knowledge, India has played its central role in it. Even
today, India possesses a rich repository of knowledge in
several spheres in the form of its knowledge texts and
manuscripts. Moreover, it is a historical truth known to all of
us that scholars from across the world visited India to seek
knowledge from various Institutions and Universities spread
across the country. It is also a historical truth that when one
of the last historical universities of India, Nalanda was burnt
in India, the world renowned Oxford and Cambridge were
not even fully established. This is our rich heritage in higher
education which also includes VallabhiVidyapeeth.
This is just a glance about the historical legacy and heritage.
But let us realize that it is our responsibility to carve the role

48. 48 ●48 ●
and direction of Gujarat in this knowledge century of India.
I need not highlight achievements of Gujarat in Industrial
Progress, Investment and Infrastructural Development.
The Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit of 2011 is
a proof for this. The whole country has taken note of it.
After achieving the first place in industrial development,
investments in Gujarat, our government has shifted its focus
to education and health because they are centre of overall
development.
In 2001, when I was given responsibility of Gujarat there
were only 11 universities; today we have 41 universities.
There are more universities than the number of colleges
in the last decade and all the universities are world class
universities.
My government has taken several initiatives in the education
sector. The 5th Vibrant Summit saw a commitment of $ 450
billion of investments with 7,936 MoUs signed amounting
to Rs 20.83 lakh crore. Of these 84 MOUs were signed in
different categories among higher education in the State and
their international counterparts that included United States
of America, Canada, South America, Australia, United
Kingdom and South Asian countries. Investment was just
one aspect of it. The main aim was to find out the steps to
be taken to create the knowledge based society. 33 leading

49. ● 49● 49
universities of the world came here. The universities of
Gujarat, the industrial houses which are future investors in
Gujarat organized a round table conference. They moved
ahead in the direction of some planning. With the help of this
planning and by utilizing our youth power how to fulfill the
needs of the world, this is what we are trying to do.
I am sure that renewed focus on higher education as part
of our vision to transform Gujarat into a knowledge hub
will bear fruit in near future with the active participation
of all stake holders. The academic collaborations would
be mutually beneficial to the State and to international
institutions as well. New field of knowledge has been cast
open for youth and women; and new universities/centres of
advanced learning or excellence are going to be set up in
collaboration with foreign universities.
Today India is emerging as a major economic power and
Gujarat is placed well to take the country on a high growth
trajectory. Gujarat already contributes a substantial part in
India’s industrial production, capital formation and exports.
In several products, it is in fact, a national leader and in
certain others, a global player. Gujarat has thus emerged as
the growth engine of India. However, the potential is still
very large and Gujarat must exploit the same for its own
development and for growth of the country. For larger growth
we need educated and highly qualified technical manpower.

50. 50 ●50 ●
That is why I put Gyan Shakti on the top of the Panchamrut
Yojana’s other four principles Urja Shakti, Jal Shakti, Jan
Shakti and Raksha Shakti.
There is need of such human resource which can play an
important role in the development of the humankind. For
that we will have to touch different fields of education. We
have started a campaign. This Government has focused on
skill development and we all know it.
We are the first in the world to start a forensic science
university. We are the first in the world to think about the
geological university. We are the first in India to start Raksha
Shakti University. In India Gujarat is leading in petroleum
and energy sector and for the development of the human
resource required in it we have started Pandit Deendayal
Upadhyay Petroleum University. By starting many new
universities we are trying to open up different centers in
Gujarat to give different options of education.
I don’t look at sports as something which merely tones up
the body. I look at it as a tool of education that stimulates
the mind and brings in a culture of discipline. Keeping this
in mind to develop physical, mental and creative abilities
of students “Khel Mahakumbh” was organized during the
Golden Jubilee Year of the state. “Chess Mahakumbh” too
served the same purpose. It was meant to develop students’

51. ● 51● 51
capacity of concentration, analytical skills and anticipation
that would help him or her to pursue studies in a pragmatic
and healthy manner.
To rekindle the spirit of learning and reading we launched
“Vanche Gujarat” in Swarnim year. All these initiatives will
provide motivation and creation of new formation to our
education and particularly to higher education in Gujarat.
For effective implementation of various initiatives started by
Government of Gujarat, Knowledge Consortium of Gujarat
(KCG) has created one structure for the Mission Mode
Implementation (MMI). In this structure, 5 colleges make
one cluster and several such clusters make one academic
district. Under MMI, district coordinators, students and
university representatives were selected and given training
to implement, organize and monitor various initiatives
effectively in all districts, clusters and colleges.
It will not be out of place to mention that the state of
Gujarat is witnessing an atmosphere charged with silent
revolution in higher education for several years now. The
implementation of Choice Based Credit System (CBCS)
which is in progress allows a student of mathematics the
freedom to study subjects like music or philosophy.
These initiatives are not designed to be mere government
programmes. They need to be supported by larger public
participation across the state.

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