Agartala: Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath today said that along with degrees, students must also participate in extracurricular activities and have to be good human beings.
The Minister said this while participating in the felicitation programme of Madhyamik and Higher Secondary passed students in Mohanpur Assembly Constituency today.
He said that students must learn English and Science so that they can gain skill-based education. Even if one doesn’t have a job, they should be able to earn some money. This, he said, was also emphasized by Swami Vivekananda.
The minister mentioned that in the Mohanpur Assembly Constituency, there was only one school which was up to class 8. Later, he had to go to Agartala for further studies. Earlier, there was no such education or infrastructure.
The Minister said that Swami ji also stated that girls should learn something so that they can earn their livelihood. They must be good in all aspects. If girls get an education, then only they can solve their problems on their own.
He also said that students must be self-reliant and no one should say no to their work.
“You will decide how you will build your career and life. Teachers will not decide what you will do in the coming future. Nowadays, there is discussion everywhere on knowledge. The country having the most knowledge is the most developed country. Now, a knowledge competition is underway. Earlier, there was no Education Policy, but now we have a New Education Policy which has been adopted by 11 countries across the world,” said the Minister.
He further said that if a student becomes a doctor, engineer, IPS, IAS or whatever, but is not a good human being, then there will be no benefit.
“There was a mindset that a doctor is unemployed? How can a doctor be unemployed? Such thinking has destroyed the state and country for a long time. A student must be a good human being — spiritual, emotional, and self-reliant. All power is within you, and you can do whatever you want. A student must stand on his or her own feet — then only it will be real education. Along with a degree, one must also have extracurricular activities,” the Minister said.