Acknowledging the aspirations of medical students, who spend a huge amount of money on going abroad for medical education due to non-availability of seats in the country, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the decision of the Government to create 75,000 new seats in the next five years. “Over the last 10 years, we have increased the number of medical seats to nearly one lakh. Approximately 25,000 young people go abroad each year for medical education. Sometimes, I get surprised to hear about the countries they have to visit to pursue medical education, said the PM in his annual Independence Day (address to the nation) speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Aug 15, 2024.
Talking about skills education, PM said that the changes in the world today emphasize the importance of skills greatly. “Therefore, we want to give new impetus to skills. Keeping Industry 4.0 in mind, we aim for skill development. We also want skill development for capacity building in every sector of life, including in the agricultural sector. We want to focus on developing new skills even in our sanitation sector. Therefore, we have come out with the Skill India Programme on a much broader scale this time. We have earmarked a large fund in this year’s Budget for this purpose. In the Budget, we have also emphasized internships, so that our youth can gain experience, develop their capacity building and showcase their skills in the market.”
The Prime Minister also spoke on the semiconductor mission. “India has been into research and now we should move towards manufacturing as well. We have the capability and prowess to provide end to end solutions to the world in this sector,” he added.
Talking about the new education policy, PM Modi said that we want to transform the current education system in line with the requirements of the 21st century. He said: “We want to develop an education system so that the youth of our country do not need to go abroad. Our middle-class families need not spend lakhs and crores of rupees. Not only that, we also want to create such institutions that attract people from abroad to come to Bharat instead. Recently, we have revived the pride of Bihar’s glorious history by reconstructing Nalanda University. Nalanda University has resumed its operations once again. However, we must once again, in the field of education revive that centuries-old Nalanda spirit, live that Nalanda spirit, and with great confidence, work towards bringing new consciousness to the world’s traditions of knowledge in the field of education. I firmly believe that the new education policy emphasizes the importance of the mother tongue. I urge the state governments and all institutions in the country that the country’s talent should not be hindered because of language. Language should not be a barrier. The strength of the mother tongue empowers even the poorest child in our country to fulfill their dreams. Therefore, we must emphasize the importance of studying in the mother tongue, the role of the mother tongue in life, and its place in the family.”
Talking about science and technology and its spread said: “I have noticed that there has been a new atmosphere of interest in science and technology in our schools and colleges after the success of Chandrayaan mission. This new enthusiasm must be nurtured by our educational institutions. The Government of India has also increased support for research. We have established more chairs. We have created the National Research Foundation providing it with a legal framework to develop a permanent system that continuously strengthens research. This research foundation will carry out that work. It is a matter of great pride that we have decided to allocate one lakh crore rupees for research and innovation in the Budget so that the ideas of our country’s youth can be realized.
Key points from the Prime Minister’s address include:
- Ease of Living Mission: PM Modi outlined his vision to fulfil ‘Ease of Living’ on a mission mode. He spoke of enhancing the quality of life in urban areas through systematic assessments and improvements in infrastructure and services.
- Revival of Nalanda Spirit: The Prime Minister sought to revive the ancient Nalanda University spirit, positioning India as a global education hub by promoting higher learning and research. This builds on the inauguration of Nalanda University in 2024.
- Made in India Chip-Semiconductor Production: PM Modi outlined India’s commitment to becoming a global leader in semiconductor production, aiming to reduce dependency on imports and enhance technological self-sufficiency.
- Skill India: Referring to the Budget 2024, the Prime Minister highlighted landmark initiatives announced by the government to train India’s youth and become the skill capital of the world.
- Hub of Industrial Manufacturing: PM Modi envisioned transforming India into a global manufacturing hub, leveraging its vast resources and skilled workforce.
- “Design in India, Design for the World”: The Prime Minister exalted indigenous design capabilities and urged to create products that cater to both domestic and international markets, coining this phrase.
- Leader in Global Gaming Market: PM Modi said that India must leverage its rich ancient legacy and literature to come up with Made in India gaming products. He added that Indian professionals must lead the global gaming market, not just in playing but also in producing games, stating that Indian games should make their mark worldwide.
- Green Jobs and Green Hydrogen Mission: PM Modi emphasized the importance of green jobs in India’s efforts to combat climate change. He stated that the focus of the country is now on green growth and green jobs, which will generate employment opportunities while contributing to environmental protection.
The Prime Minister reiterated India’s commitment to becoming a global leader in green hydrogen production and creating sustainable employment opportunities in environmental conservation and renewable energy sectors. - Swasth Bharat Mission: PM said that to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047, India must tread the path ‘Swasth Bharat’ which has begun with the launch of Rashtriya Poshan Abhiyan.
- State-level Investment Competition: The Prime Minister called for state governments to establish clear policies to attract investments, offer assurances of good governance, and ensure confidence in the law and order situation.
- Indian Standards as Global Benchmarks: PM Modi spoke on India’s aspiration to be recognized for its commitment to quality, stating that Indian standards should aspire to become international benchmarks.
- Climate Change Targets: The Prime Minister reiterated the India’s ambitious goal of achieving 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030. He noted that India has been the only country among the G20 nations to meet its Paris Accord goals.
- Medical Education Expansion: PM Modi announced plans to add 75,000 new medical seats in the next 5 years, aiming to enhance the country’s medical education capacity and address the growing demand for healthcare professionals.
- Inducting Fresh Blood in Politics: PM Modi gave a call to bring 1 lakh youth into the political system, specifically those with no history of politics in their families. The Prime Minister said this initiative was aimed at fighting the evils of nepotism and casteism and inducting fresh blood into India’s polity.
