NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday said her government’s focus on making the national capital an education hub, saying that while Delhi cannot be developed into an industrial centre due to restrictions on heavy industries, it can emerge as the country’s foremost destination for learning.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Swami Vivekananda Bhawan at Ambedkar University’s Karampura campus, Gupta said, “The biggest sector we can work on in Delhi is to make the city an education hub. Students searching for the best place to get education should think of Delhi first. We have to make our system so strong that our children do not need to go abroad for higher studies.” She assured that the government would provide the resources required to strengthen the city’s education infrastructure.
The CM linked the inauguration to the Sewa Pakhwara, being observed on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday, adding that the building was a symbol of the government’s commitment to youth and learning. Education Minister Ashish Sood, who was also present, underlined AUD’s outreach initiatives, pointing out that the university has adopted seven slum clusters and villages and is working on restoring 23 hectares of wetland. “Spending on education is not expenditure, it is the biggest investment for the future,” he said.
Saturday’s event saw the participation of AUD Vice-Chancellor Anu Singh Lather, New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj, local MLA Harish Khurana and other leaders.
The idea of Delhi as an “education hub” is not new. In 2023, then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also spoken of positioning the capital as a global learning destination, citing equal opportunities in schools and the establishment of new institutes. However, no detailed roadmap was presented then, and the slogan remained largely aspirational.