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The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill that seeks to convert the National Rail and Transportation University, a deemed university, into Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, an autonomous Central University under the administrative control of the Ministry of Railways.
Replying to the debate Central Universities (Amendment), Bill 2022 in Lok Sabha, Union Minister for Education and Skill Development Dharmendra Pradhan said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi always works with a vision for the future and under his leadership, a future-ready workforce to embrace the fourth industrial revolution and challenges of the 21st century is being prepared. He also spoke about steps being taken for India to be self-reliant in frontier technologies. Pradhan spoke about the transformations taking place in the infrastructure and transport sectors including roads, railways, shipping and aviation. He said that the growth of transport sectors, building of airports across nation in smaller cities and increasing air traffic is reflective of aspirations of the people of India. The minister said that the transformations taking place in the transport sector call for building an institution to build a knowledge repository, conduct research, curate best practices, facilitate skill development, work on capacity building and facilitate the growth of transport sectors. He also said that the students of future would need to learn about environment, commerce, and social sciences, in addition to STEM to succeed in the infrastructure sector and a world-class, multi-disciplinary, multi-dimensional futuristic institution called Gati Shakti University has been envisioned. The Minister also spoke about the need to bring more and more youth in the mainstream education and skilling ecosystem in line with the vision of National Education Policy. "Our endeavour is to create a generation of job creators and not only job seekers," he said. Pradhan also said that a new work culture is being developed in India in which what is promised, will be delivered. Gati Shakti is another example of that work culture, he added. The bill seeks to amend Central Universities Act, 2009, which was enacted to establish and incorporate universities for teaching and research in various states.The National Rail and Transportation University is located in Vadodara. Pradhan said Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya will address the need of talent in the strategically important and expanding transportation sector and meet the demand for trained talent to fuel the growth and expansion of the sector. The statement of objects and reasons of the bill states that the proposed University will reverse brain drain and create critical capability and capacity by developing masters and doctoral degrees in transportation and go a long way in making the nation self-reliant in the transportation sector through its programmes for skilling and digitising India. It will carry out critically-needed research and development by creating innovative technologies to encourage local manufacturing and substitute the imports of expensive technology, equipment and products. It will also take additional measures for providing high-quality teaching, research and skill development in diverse disciplines related to transportation, technology and management including establishing centres in India and abroad. The scope of the proposed University will also extend beyond the railways to cover entire transport sector to support the ambitious growth and modernisation of the sector. (ANI)
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