Aligarh (UP), Oct 17 (PTI) Former President PranabMukherjee today lamented that Indian universities lagged farbehind top educational institutes in the world and stressedthe need for research and innovation.
At a function here to mark the 200th birth anniversarycelebrations of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the founder of theAligarh Muslim University, Mukherjee said Indian varsitiesneeded to focus more on research.
"We have failed to give due importance to basic researchand innovation in our institutions of higher learning,"Mukherjee said.
He said the vision of India was based on a scientificoutlook that generated from an "open mind".
Mukherjee added that AMU highlighted Indian nationalismand ethos.
Students from different religious, ethnic and culturalbackgrounds studied and worked in the university, the formerpresident said.
Hundreds of old students of AMU who attended thebicentenary celebrations pledged to make AMU a leading worldclass institution. PTI COR SABBDS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.