Yogesh K Porwar
*Karnataka Government Has Begun Recruitment for 72,000 Posts.
*India Must Become a Front-Runner in Technology.
*DCM Addresses Graduation Ceremony at East Point College of Engineering.
Deputy Chief Minister,Dr.G.Parameshwara said that young people were seeking opportunities and that governments must respond to their aspirations without delay.
He inaugurated the graduation ceremony held at East Point College of Engineering in Avalahalli, Krishnarajapuram,today and addressed the students.
Congratulating the 540 engineering graduates,he wished them success in their careers and urged them to prepare themselves for the challenges of a rapidly changing world.
Referring to the protests in Delhi,Dr.Parameshwara said they should not be viewed merely as protests,but as a reflection of the aspirations of young people seeking opportunities.
“There is a message in those protests.Young people need opportunities,and we must provide them quickly. We understand this while formulating policies in Vidhana Soudha,”he said.
Dr.Parameshwara said the Karnataka Government had already begun the process of recruiting 72,000 people within about three months.
“This is not the end;it is only the beginning.We must provide opportunities to young people so that they can build a strong India and help the country overcome the challenges ahead,”he said.
“The field is open,but the future will be challenging.You must perform better and equip yourselves to face the challenges ahead,”he told the graduates.
Dr.Parameshwara drew similarities between the East Point Group of Institutions and the Sri Siddhartha Academy of Higher Education,which he heads.
He recalled that his father had established a small school in a village in 1959 and that the group had since grown to nearly 100 institutions including two medical colleges, two engineering colleges, a dental college and several other institutions.
He congratulated S.V. Pramod Gowda and S.V. Rajeev Gowda for their academic commitment and for creating educational opportunities for young people.He also appreciated the group for successfully operating two schools in Dubai and wished it further growth.
Sharing his own academic experience, Dr. Parameshwara said that he had completed his graduation and master’s degree at the University of Agricultural Sciences before travelling to Adelaide, Australia, for his doctorate.
At the time,the university there did not recognise his Indian master’s degree as equivalent,requiring him to complete another year of postgraduate study before registering for a PhD.
“That was the situation then.Today, India’s education system – from primary and secondary education to higher, technical and medical education is comparable with universities anywhere in the world.
Indian graduates excel globally,particularly in technology and medicine,and are no longer treated as second-grade graduates.This transformation has taken place over the past 25 years,”he said.
He urged students to take pride in being educated in India, stating that subjects such as physics, mathematics,economics,engineering and medicine were taught at standards comparable with leading universities worldwide.
Recalling his participation in an International Botanical Congress in Sydney in 1980,Dr.Parameshwara said he had witnessed India being recognised as self-sufficient in food grains.
He noted that the country had faced food shortages and famine-like conditions during the 1960s but achieved self-sufficiency within two decades through the efforts of agricultural scientists and farmers.
“It was not magic.Agricultural scientists developed new crop varieties and improved cultivation methods,and our farmers responded on a large scale.That transformation enabled India to achieve self-sufficiency in food grains,” he said.
Dr. Parameshwara said technological development had transformed India into one of the world’s leading providers of skilled human resources and services.
He stated that India had nearly 6,000 engineering colleges, admitting around 15 lakh students and producing nearly 10 lakh engineering graduates every year.
“No other country produces engineering graduates on this scale.Indian engineers – whether in software, mechanical, electronics or other fields – are found across the world,”he said.
He said India had emerged as a global leader in information technology services, with Bengaluru playing a significant role in this growth.
Multinational companies based in Bengaluru were not only providing employment to Indian youth but also delivering technology and services to the world,he added.
Dr.Parameshwara said Karnataka had taken the lead in promoting start-ups and creating opportunities for students to apply what they had learned.
Referring to Science and Technology Entrepreneurs Park (STEP) initiatives in engineering colleges,he said such programmes enabled young people to develop their ideas into technologies and successful enterprises.
“Karnataka is number one in the country’s start-up ecosystem.Young people are converting their ideas and hypotheses into practical technologies,and several such technologies have been acquired by major companies for millions of dollars.Technology transfer is taking place on a large scale from Bengaluru and Karnataka,”he said.
He said many global companies were headed by Indians who had studied in Karnataka,at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and even at ordinary engineering colleges across the State.
“This is the contribution that India’s education system, particularly Karnataka’s education system, is making to the world,”he said.
Dr.Parameshwara said Karnataka was now promoting the semiconductor sector in a major way.Companies from across the world were approaching the Government seeking land to establish facilities in Bengaluru, Tumakuru,Mysuru,Mangaluru and other cities.
“Companies are willing to invest even in tier-two cities because Karnataka offers one of the world’s largest talent pools.
You,the graduates, are part of that talent pool.You have received quality teaching and studied some of the best courses,”he told the students.
He also referred to the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and said it would transform calculations, research, problem-solving and decision-making.
Graduates must prepare themselves not only to face such technological changes but also to participate actively in them,he said.
Dr.Parameshwara said India had made significant progress in defence and aerospace technology, reducing its dependence on other countries.
He highlighted the country’s growing capabilities in the Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as the achievements of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in launching multiple satellites and advancing space exploration.
“Aerospace technology, satellite launches and several related services are now being developed, operated and delivered by India.
This technological journey has placed India among the leading countries of the world. We should all be proud of it and become part of this progress,”he said.
On the economy, Dr.Parameshwara said India,once viewed globally as a poor country,had emerged as the world’s fourth-largest economy.
However, he acknowledged that economic inequality and poverty continued to remain serious challenges.
“Our technology and education have progressed, but a large section of the population still lives below the poverty line.We have not yet achieved complete equality, and this is a challenge that must be addressed quickly,” he said.
Noting that around 60% of India’s population was below the age of 40, he reiterated that the country must create opportunities for its youth.
“The world is moving rapidly. India must become a front-runner instead of constantly trying to catch up. Young people must be given opportunities to build the country strongly and address the challenges ahead. That is my message to all the graduates,” he said.
Member of the Legislative Council,Dr.K.Govindaraj,East Point Group of Institutions Chairperson,R.L.Ramadevi Venkatapathi,CEO,S.V. Pramod Gowda,S.V. Rajeev Gowda and others were present on the occasion.
