Educational news about Personality development, career guidance, Leadership Skills and more in Edubilla.com ...

PM Modi said, "If one has to succeed in life, if one has to keep pace with the changing times, then the first condition is not to let the student within wilt, never let the student within die”.

Against the backdrop of the row over the JNU sedition case and the death of a Dalit student in Hyderabad university, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said “if one has to succeed in life, if one has to keep pace with the changing times, then the first condition is not to let the student within wilt, never let the student within die”.

Addressing the centenary year convocation of the Banaras Hindu University, Modi said: “At times I feel a convocation ceremony should be a ceremony to mark the start of education. This is not the end of education… the one who tries to remain a student till the very end, the one who doesn’t let the student within die can hope to make most of the innumerable opportunities in this big, wide world, or at least attain some of these.”

Urging students to always remain curious, he said: “If curiosity ends, life comes to a standstill. Curiosity strengthens the roots of growth. When a person gets disturbed because of spontaneous developments, then only knowledge shows the way.” Stating that the BHU alumni, who have never severed ties with the university, have attained success in careers and life, the Prime Minister said: “But questions arise. What was the work style later, what was that ideology, what was the problem which brought about a reluctance to spread this great tradition, the rich culture of BHU to different corners of the country.”

“I want to throw this challenge before young men and women of this country. Come up with innovations that may help the world in bringing down temperatures a bit, help humanity overcome the grave energy crisis it is likely to face if renewable and sustainable alternative sources are not found.” He said students should dream of finding solutions to problems being faced by the country and the world. “Innovation is most important for us… New research, not just to obtain PhDs through cut-paste.” He said he had in the past consulted Nobel laureates about the prevalence of sickle-cell disease in tribal families which is worse than even cancer. But, he felt “our own researchers can find a better solution”.

On global warming, Modi said Indians believe exploitation of nature is a crime and see god in plants and mother in a river. “In such a country, can’t we find a concrete solution to global warming?” He asked BHU students to develop technology to make maximum use of ethanol, a technology which will benefit farmers too. He apologised to BHU authorities for not accepting an honorary degree at the convocation. “Main maanta hoon ki mein jitna in cheezon se door rakh sakun apne aapko, door rakhna chahiye, meri yehi koshish hai. (It is my belief and endeavour to stay away from such things).”