President urges students to use education for self-employment

President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday advised students against making jobs the end goal of education and encouraged them to create self-employment ventures.

“The goal of their education should not be limited to simply getting a job. They can start their own enterprises by using their skills and learning. There is immense potential in the field of fruit and vegetable processing,” Kovind said.

While addressing a convocation ceremony at Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Himachal Pradesh, the President said that several enthusiastic youths have opted for their own ventures in agri sector after attaining education and have started organic farming of fruits, vegetables and flowers and have become exporters of these produce.

“With their knowledge and enterprise, graduates of the University could help consumers in the country and abroad get better food products and help farmers get better value for their produce,” he said.

Also read: Education should create job providers, not job seekers: President Kovind

The President also urged the students to take advantage of various schemes and initiatives of the Union and state governments to set up their businesses in the agriculture sector.

While presenting gold medals and conferring degrees to 462 students, the President said that it is encouraging to see girls surpassing boys. Out of nine medal winners, six were girls and one of them got two medals.

“Girls are proving their supremacy in education, sports, research, defence sciences, aviation and other areas which is a good sign for the country,” he said.

The President congratulated students of the University for choosing to pursue their education in the agricultural sector.

“This sector is associated with the prosperity of farmers, the rural community and the entire country,” he said, adding, “There were ample opportunities in fruit and vegetable processing and the farmers can be saved from losses by setting up cold storages.”

The President highlighted that the University has a distinction of being the first Horticultural University in Asia.

“Research in horticulture and forestry has a special significance for farmers in mountainous regions such as in Himachal Pradesh. Over the past three decades, the Dr YS Parmar University has contributed significantly to the development of horticulture and forestry in the state,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Himachal Governor Acharya Devvrat urged the students to acknowledge the contribution of teachers in shaping their lives.

“This university was the first Horticulture University in the country and the only horticulture university in the state, horticulturists had great expectations from it, “ he said, adding, “In order to promote zero budget natural farming in the state, the university was implementing Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) model in its campus.”

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur appreciated the contribution of the university in producing best scientists in the country and said that horticulture was playing a major role in strengthening the economy of the farmers of the state.