Indian universities should give emphasis on innovation: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the country's universities and institutions of higher education need to give equal emphasis to innovation as they give to knowledge. He asserted that without innovation life would become a burden.

Modi emphasised on the importance of character building over literacy and called for 'wholesome' education in India. 

The Prime Minister said, "Knowledge and education are not restricted to books. The purpose of education is to enable balanced growth of every dimension of a human being which is not possible without innovation." 

"Innovation is very important because, without it, life seems like a burden. In our ancient universities like Takshshila, Nalanda and Vikramashila, innovation was given emphasis along with knowledge. I insist that students should give knowledge in classrooms of college, university but they also add them to the aspirations of the country," he added.

Stressing upon the need for "interlinking" the institutions, PM Modi has said that no country or person can live in isolation. He has further stressed upon the importance of character-building. 

"Our universities and colleges should be leveraged to find solutions to the challenges facing us. We should interlink institutions to innovate and incubate. The students should link their classroom learning to the aspirations of the country," he said.