President Pranab Mukherjee urged people to work for those who are socially deprived and thus help in nation building.Citing the teachings of Swami Vivekananda after inaugurating the Vivekananda Memorial Hall at Shree Ramakrishna Ashrama in Odisha’s Kalahandi district, he said “Swami Vivekananda had pointed out that a country’s future depends on its people and the education they receive.Everyone should work for the socially deprived people to build our nation.”The President also paid tributes to him and said one of the most important insights that Swami Vivekananda received from Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was “Jiva is Shiva”, each individual is divinity itself.He added that Swami Vivekananda taught that people should be served looking upon them as manifestations of god.By establishing numerous facilities to provide education and healthcare for the tribal population, especially children and youth, the ashram is implementing his thoughts and teachings.

The Centre has approved eighteen new ayurvedic colleges this year in a move to  promote traditional forms of treatment and integrate them into the existing health care system.  This is against permission for only one such institution in the last three years.Ministry sources said that seven of these new colleges will come up in Uttar Pradesh followed by three in Maharashtra, two in Rajasthan besides six others in as many states.The ministry is in charge of ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha and homeopathy.The approval has come this year and has been given against proposals for setting up 39 new ayurveda institutions.Permission was granted to only one college last year against proposals for 30 new colleges the previous government had received. No permission was given in 2011 and 2012.There are currently 281 ayurveda colleges in the country offering 15,057 graduate and 3,081 post-graduate seats.A committee has been set up by the BJP government to promote “holistic health??and has recommended reforms in medical education, research and legal framework in order to facilitate integration of ayurveda, yoga and other traditional forms of treatment in the existing health care system.National Ayush Mission (NAM) set up in September, aims to improve education and provide better access to its service through increase in number of Ayush hospitals and dispensaries, besides offering quality drugs by increasing pharmacies, drug laboratories and “improved enforcement mechanism”.

KOLKATA: The President while speaking at the closing ceremony of the 150th anniversary celebrations of Metropolitan Institution (Main) in Kolkatta noted that India, with its largest secondary education system in the world, should improve its standard of education and make education affordable for meritorious students of all backgrounds.A press communiqu? from the Rashtrapati Bhavan said that the President called for imparting skills through proper training and education to the country’s large workforce, which accounts for two-third of its population and standards of education in the country must be improved and education made affordable for meritorious students from all backgrounds.The President said “There is also need to create a large pool of good quality and committed teachers who can be entrusted the responsibility of shaping the next generation.The progress of our nation is contingent on the drive, motivation, initiative and energy of our youth.India boasts of the largest population of young people in the world.This demographic dividend can be reaped only through education.”He further noted that India has the largest secondary education system in the world with total enrolment of over 10.7 crore.Yet, the gross enrolment ratio at the secondary education level is a mere 53 in India as compared to 96 in the US, 94 in South Africa and 89 in Russia and Mexico respectively.More than two lakh meritorious students leave the country for pursuing higher studies in foreign universities and none of our institutions are ranked in the top 200 positions by reputed international surveys.