Governor advises students to focus on IT sector, national exams
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, February 25 2025: A two-day national conference on 'Indian Knowledge System (IKS) in Higher Education: A Step Towards Viksit Bharat 2047' organised by IIIT-Senapati, Manipur commenced at the auditorium of its Mantripukhri City Campus on Tuesday.

The inaugural function of the conference organised in association with Vidya Bharati Uchcha Shiksha Sansthan (Manipur State), was attended by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, IIIT-Senapati BoG chairman professor Sukhi Oraon and director professor Krishna Baskar as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.

Governor advises students to focus on IT sector, national exams

Speaking at the event, Governor Bhalla noted with regret that despite having a prestigious institution like the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in the state, the enrolment of local students is negligible.

He stressed the need for the local students to focus more on the IT sector, noting that although the state is small, the people possess unique talents, knowledge and intelligence.

"This potential is often overlooked by the outside world due to limited exposure," he opined and encouraged the students of the state to participate in various national-level examinations to explore opportunities.

The Governor said, the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) is increasingly recognised as a vital component of a holistic higher education in India.

"New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, highlights the importance of reviving and integrating the IKS into mainstream education.

This integration holds immense potential for fostering a more inclusive, culturally rooted and innovative educational landscape in India.

Manipur has a treasure of indigenous knowledge and practices and therefore, incorporating IKS will benefit human resource development in the state.

Documentation of these indigenous knowledge and practices are highly needed," he stressed.

He further stated that, with the establishment of IIIT, students from Manipur should try to take advantage of learning in various technological disciplines so as to pave the way for a brighter future for the youth of the state, empowering them with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in the ever-evolving world of technology.

Stating that Manipur is one of the top states in the education sector, the Governor called the IIIT an institution of great importance in the present age.

"Today, many students from various parts of the country are enrolled in the institute.

Numerous students from the institute have also secured job opportunities in national and international companies, which is a matter of great pride,'' he said, adding that the IIIT in the state, which had only 200 students enrolled two years ago, now boasts over 700 students, marking a significant achievement.

The chief guest also pointed out the need for students from the state to gain exposure to the mainstream education system and become familiar with national platforms.

Regarding the two-day national conference, he expressed confidence that the platform will provide immense benefits and knowledge to the students.

"The knowledge acquired from this conference should be documented, as it will serve as the foundation for future progress.

Without this foundation, we will not be able to generate innovative ideas," he noted.

On the occasion, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla also inaugurated a Smart Additional Classroom Complex and the Swami Vivekananda Auditorium, apart from planting Bokul tree sapling, as part of Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign in the campus, and releasing a souvenir.