Kalam urges IITians to become job generators

Former President A P J Abdul Kalam on Friday called upon the new graduates and post graduates of Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IIT-G) to try becoming employment generators instead of becoming employment seekers.

Addressing the 14 th convocation of the IIT in Guwahati, Kalam said, "In the present context, the education system should highlight the importance of entrepreneurship and prepare students to get oriented towards setting up of enterprises which will provide them creativity, freedom and ability to generate wealth.

The IIT curriculum should emphasis on the importance of entrepreneurship so that some of the students after graduation can create their own industries which will provide large scale employment to skilled and semi skilled technicians."

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He commented that banking system in the country should provide venture capital to the graduates who have the aptitude and keenness to create their own new enterprises.

"The IIT curriculum should provide market research support for selection of right products and hold the hand of the entrepreneur during the incubation period till they can stand on their own legs," Kalam said.

Saying that convergence of technologies held key to finding out of the box solution to various issues concerning the people, Dr Kalam said it was time for the scientific community to bring down the iron curtain existing between various technological groups and remove inter-disciplinary barriers.

"The reciprocating contribution of sciences to one another disciplines is going to shape our future and the industry needs to be ready for it," Dr Kalam said.

He also favoured a national river linking project revolved around the mighty Brahmaputra River that traverses through Assam Valley. Kalam said, "Every time I see this mighty Brahmaputra River flowing silently here, I dream of a smart national water grid revolved around this river. Such a national water grid will do wonder for the country."

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Regarding the current difficult economic situation facing the country, the former President said India had the potential to come out of the current difficult economic situation because of its inherent strength.

He identified the country's inherent strength in the form of purchasing power of 400 million citizens in middle class category and 600 million youth who are willing to take up challenging missions.

He lauded the major technological milestones achieved by Indian scientists during the last few months including successful launch of Agni missile with 5000 kms range.

He said the second technological achievement was the design and development of RISAT with indigenous technologies and launched by well-proven Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (19).

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The areas are agriculture and food processing, reliable and quality electric power, surface transport and infrastructure for all parts of the country, education and healthcare, information and communication technology and self reliance in critical technologies.

He asked IIT-Guwahati to take up a project under PURA (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) scheme by covering 50-100 villages in the neighbouring areas.

Kalam asked the students to create a 'smart waterway' in Brahmaputra river which would be operation 24X7 and stressed the need for interlinking rivers.