Vice-President Naidu calls for a multidisciplinary approach in higher education, stresses on need for social sciences in tech institutes

Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, on October 28, said that the era of strict segregation of subjects was over, as he called for adopting a multidisciplinary approach in higher education to produce well-skilled individuals and have better research outcomes.

"The era of strict segregation of subjects is a thing of the past as the world today is increasingly adopting a multidisciplinary approach in higher education to produce well-rounded individuals and better research outcomes," Naidu said while addressing a gathering in the presence of Goa Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Union Minister Shripad Naik.
 
“These qualities are in high demand in the 21st century economy where no sector of the economy works in solo,” the VP added. He also emphasised the need to give equal importance to Humanities in science and technology institutions. After inaugurating the new campus of the Sant Sohirobanath Ambiye Government College of Arts and Commerce at Goa's Pernem, Naidu said the exposure to Arts and Social Sciences is known to increase creativity, improve critical thinking and enhance communication skills amongst students.
 
Stressing the need to produce world-class researchers not just in sciences, but also in social science, languages and in the fields of commerce and economics, Naidu praised the Goa government for setting up commerce and economics laboratories as well as language labs in several institutes of the state.
 
“We need to create the right ecosystem for research and innovation to thrive in our universities and higher education institutions," he said and urged vice-chancellors of universities and educationists to give the required thrust to research, in tune with the objectives penned in the National Education Policy 2020.
 
Naidu praised the Goa government for its plans to set up research foundations to promote work in multidisciplinary projects. Naidu also appreciated that the state had a higher Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) for women at 30 per cent when compared to the national average of 27.3 per cent. He said, “This is a very good sign and must serve as an inspiration to other states.”
 
Talking environment and health
Observing that nature must not be neglected in the quest for development, Naidu said and added that a butterfly and a garden are as important as the latest IT tools. “That is why I always advocate the need for students to spend half of their time in the classroom and the remaining half in a playground or in the lap of nature,” he said.
 
Naidu advised the youth to avoid a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy dietary habits and consumption of harmful substances. He expressed happiness that Pernem College has steadily progressed over the years and expressed hope that the expanded facilities at the institution will be beneficial for rural students from the area. He also praised the college for its focus on sports for all-round development of the students.