Encourage multidisciplinarity in education: Venkaiah Naidu

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu appealed to schools across the nation to foster the spirit of curiosity, innovation and excellence in students to prepare them for the challenges of the 21st century, technology-driven world.

Speaking after inaugurating Vellore International School (VIS), a part of VIT Group of Institutions, near Kelambakkam in Chennai, Naidu called for a futuristic approach to education while shunning rote education.

“We must also do away with the artificial segregation between curricular and extracurricular activities and encourage multidisciplinarity in education,” Naidu said.

He observed that in the old Gurukul system, the teacher spent time and stayed with the student, allowing for the character moulding and correct assessment of the pupil.

“At Vellore International School, I am happy to be informed that they are trying to introduce a concept of ‘house parent’ to integrate the positive aspects of Guru Shishya parampara with modern pedagogical practices,” he said.

“From what I can see, the school is shaping up to be a splendid and serene campus, ideal for learning, and I compliment the management of VIT Group of Institutions for this important milestone in their educational journey.


“I am reminded of the renowned Tamil poet, Bharathiyaar, who wrote that it is more virtuous to educate a child than to build a thousand temples (aalayam) or set up thousands of feeding centres (anna chathiram). The VIT Group has been making consistent efforts to strengthen higher education in the private sector and I am confident this institution will be another feather in their cap.”

T M Anbarasan, Tamil Nadu Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, conveyed his greetings on behalf of Chief Minister M K Stalin, who appreciated the services rendered by VIT Chancellor Dr G Viswanathan in the field of education.

In his message, the Chief Minister said the educational institutions had the responsibility to shape the students into multifaceted personalities and develop their latent talents.


VIT Chancellor Dr G Viswanathan cited recent reports that around 18,000 Indian students were studying medicine and engineering in Ukraine and said the national medical council should permit more seats in medical colleges so that the country can produce more number of doctors. He said the intake of students can be increased by introducing the shift system in medical colleges.

VIS is located on a 35-acre campus adjoining a 1500 acre Reserve Forest land. “VIS is a result of six years of detailed brainstorming and meticulous planning,” said G V Selvam, Chairman, VIS, and Vice President, VIT.

“When we decided to start a school we wanted to be the best in all aspects. Our experience in providing higher education at VIT gave us good insights. We realised that the quality of school education impacts the quality of higher education. So we envisioned that our school should nurture creativity and foster the spirit of innovation in young minds,” he said.

The total planned built-up area of the school is 5.5 lakh sq ft area and in the first phase 2.5 lakh sq ft has been completed, he said. - TWL Bureau