Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankar appeals to States that have not implemented NEP to reconsider decision
Addressing the students and faculty of Pondicherry University before winding up his two-day visit to Puducherry, the Vice-President said the framing of the policy will be considered a watershed moment in the country's academic journey.
'It is one of the best education policies in the world. It lays emphasis on mother tongue. The policy calls upon universities to foster multi-disciplinarity, critical thinking, skill development and innovation. NEP allows our youth to fully exploit their talent and energy,' he felt.
According to him, the new framework for education would play an important role in making the country a developed nation in 2047 as envisaged by the Prime Minister. As we march towards becoming a developed nation, the country should be able to create institutes of excellence rivalling the best globally. Industries and corporate entities should consider investing in the country's educational eco-system.
'The endeavour should not be driven by commodification and commercialisation of education but should align with India's traditional gurukula system, emphasising character development alongside knowledge acquisition. This ethos of 'education as service' stands at odds with the current commercial model,' he said.
Opining he was optimistic about the country's growth prospects, Mr. Dhankhar said India was no longer a nation with potential but a country on the rise. 'This is unstoppable and there will be many challenges. As a result of phenomenal development of last decade, those challenges to us will becomes complex if our politicians do not measure the requirement of always listening to national interest and national development,' he said.
'Sanatan pride' being rebuilt
The Vice-President said the country has a glorious past. The country's educational geography and history have been dotted with great centres of learning. Scholars from all over the world came to share their ideas and learn about our wisdom. Due to invasion, the country suffered a blow to its knowledge heritage, he said.
'Sanatan pride is rebuilding. What was lost is being rebuilt with stronger determination,' he added.
Referring to the rich diversity of our country and languages, Mr. Dhankhar said the country cannot be divided on languages as no other nation in the world was so rich when it comes to languages as India. In Parliament, discourse is allowed in 22 languages and these languages indicate the country's inclusivity, he added.
'Sanatan teaches us nothing but to be in togetherness for the same sublime purpose,' he believed.
Lt. Governor K. Kailashnathan and Chief Minister N. Rangasamy also participated. The Vice-President left Puducherry around 1.30 p.m. He was seen off at the airport by Mr. Kailashnathan, Mr. Rangasamy, Ministers and senior officials.
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NDTV
12 minutes ago
- NDTV
Jagdeep Dhankhar Never Let Us Speak, Faced Axe When He Spoke: M Kharge
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Indian Express
4 hours ago
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In effect, the Vice-President discharges duties of both the Vice-President and Rajya Sabha chairperson. 5. Under Article 64 (2), the Vice-President also discharges presidential functions when the President is unable to do so 'owing to absence, illness or any other cause'. In this case, the Vice-President will 'have all the powers and immunities of the President and be entitled to… (the) emoluments, allowances and privileges'. 6. As per Article 65, the Vice-President can act as the President, 'in the event of the occurrence of any vacancy in the office of the President by reason of his death, resignation, or removal,' or 'until the date on which a new President…enters upon his office.' 7. There is no direct provision in the Constitution on who performs the duties of the Vice-President if the office falls vacant before the expiry of his/her term or when the Vice-President is discharging the duties of the President. 8. 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The Vice-President may leave mid-term by submitting a resignation letter to the President, and can also be removed from office by a resolution in the Rajya Sabha, passed by a majority of its members at that time and agreed by the House of the People (Lok Sabha). 4. The electoral college for the election scheduled on September 9 will comprise 782 members of Parliament – 233 elected members of Rajya Sabha (five seats are currently vacant), 12 nominated members of Rajya Sabha, and 542 elected members of the Lok Sabha (one seat is vacant), the EC said. The electoral college doesn't include members from state legislatures. 5. Voting is held by secret ballot, using the system of proportional representation with a single transferable vote. Each MP casts a vote by ranking candidates in order of preference. All votes carry equal value as there is no weightage system (followed in the President election). 6. To be declared elected, a candidate must reach a required minimum number of votes — called the quota. This is calculated by dividing the total number of valid votes by two and adding one (fractions, if any, are ignored). 7. If no candidate crosses the quota in the first round, the one with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated, and their votes are transferred to the remaining candidates based on second preferences. The process continues until one candidate crosses the quota. S Radhakrishnan, the first Vice-President, served two terms in office, 1952-62. He was subsequently elected as the President in 1962. Other Vice-Presidents who went on to become presidents were Zakir Hussain (1967-69), V V Giri (69-74), R Venkataraman (87-92), Shankar Dayal Sharma (92-97) and K R Narayanan (97-2002). 1. The President is elected by an electoral college consisting of MPs of both Houses of Parliament and MLAs of the states and Delhi and Puducherry. Nominated members of Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha, and the Assemblies, and members of state Legislative Councils, are not part of the electoral college. 2. The votes are weighted, their value determined by the population of each state as per the Census 1971. The value of each MLA's vote varies from a high of 208 in Uttar Pradesh to a low of 7 in Sikkim. This means that UP's 403 MLAs contribute 208 × 403 = 83,824 votes to the electoral pool, while Sikkim's 32 MLAs contribute 32 × 7 = 224 votes. The weighted votes from all the Assemblies add up to 5.43 lakh. 3. The process demands that the 776 MPs (543 in Lok Sabha, 233 in Rajya Sabha) should contribute the same total of votes as the MLAs. Thus, the value of each MP's vote is 5.43 lakh divided by 776, rounded off to 700. The combined electoral pool from the Assemblies and Parliament adds up to 10.86 lakh. (1) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2013) 1. The Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha are not members of that House. 2. While the nominated members of the two Houses of the Parliament have no voting right in the presidential election, they have the right to vote in the election of the Vice President. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (2) Who among the following have held the office of the Vice President of India? (UPSC CSE 2008) 1. Mohammad Hidayatullah 2. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed 3. Neelam Sanjiva 4. Shankar Dayal Sharma Select the correct answer using the code given below:- (a) 1,2,3 and 4 (b) 1 and 4 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 3 and 4 only (Source: EC sets September 9 as date for Vice Presidential poll after Dhankhar's surprise exit, Vice-President: The post, the provisions, and the past, UPSC Issue at a Glance | Office of Vice-President of India, Explained: What happens when the Vice-President resigns mid-term, Explained: How the President of India is elected) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for July 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
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Vice presidential poll to be held on September 9
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