Let’s empower women through education : Vice President Hamid Ansari
Vice President Mr. Mohd. Hamid Ansari laid stress on empowering women and minorities through education during his interactive meeting with students of Sofia College for Women in Mumbai on September 23, 2014.
Vice President Mr. Mohd. Hamid Ansari has laid stress on empowering women and minorities through education. Participating in an interactive programme with the students of Sofia College for Women in Mumbai today, the Vice President of India answered queries on wide ranging topics covering education, sports, role of media and international relations.
Mr. Ansari said that although a good beginning has been made with the enactment of Right To Education Act, the primary education results are very uneven. “Education is a partnership process. It is the responsibility of the parents to send their children to school, and it is the responsibility of the schools to impart good education” the Vice President said. He further added, that through RTE, the process of admitting children in schools is largely being met, but the school system is failing in imparting quality education. Mr. Ansari said, the scenario can be changed to better through society’s intervention rather than government initiated measures.
Vice President Mr. Mohd. Hamid Ansari, along with Governor of Maharashtra, Mr. C Vidya Sagar Rao being welcomed by Sofia College Principal Sister Ananda Amritmahal. Mumbai | September 23, 2014.
Commenting about growing stress level in the field of education, Vice President observed that “excellence requires hardwork. The challenge is to transform stress into enjoyment.” Mr.Ansari also said that sports should made part of the curriculum under the RTE. “Right To Sports must be part of Right To Education. That is where the talent lies, which India needs to locate, if it were to excel in variety of sports” he said.
Replying to a query whether he supported reservation for minorities, Mr. Hamid Ansari said “Our Constitution provides for equality of opportunities. If some people are found to be less than equal, then the state has to take necessary steps to place them on an equal footing.” He further added that he would refrain from using the word ‘reservation’, and rather prefer to call it ‘affirmative action’.
Vice President Mr. Mohd. Hamid Ansari, along with Governor of Maharashtra, Mr. C Vidya Sagar Rao at the Students’ interactive meeting in Sofia College for Women in Mumbai on September 23, 2014.
Vice President expressed his disappointment over present representation of women in Parliament. He observed that women MPs numbering about 60 in a house of 545 is abysmally low. Mr. Ansari said the Bill to ensure greater opportunities for women has been passed in the Rajya Sabha, and hoped that it would be passed by the Lower House soon. “If we fail to create equal opportunities, we lose out on constructive contribution of many brighter women” he added.
Speaking about media censorship, Vice President said some kind of checks and balances are necessary, but we should be careful enough to skate on the right side, so as not to trample on freedom of speech. He observed that in earlier days most newspapers had eminent editors, who set the pace of debate in society. Mr. Ansari conceded that freedom of speech vs censorship and control is a never ending debate, and even in UK, as many as seven Royal Commissions have looked into the matter.
Students of Sofia College for Women participating in an inVice President Mr. Mohd. Hamid Ansari, along with Governor of Maharashtra, Mr. C Vidya Sagar Rao being welcomed by Sofia College Principal Sister Ananda Amritmahal. Mumbai | September 23, 2014.teractive meeting with Vice President Mr. Mohd. Hamid Ansari. Mumbai | September 23, 2014
Mr. Ansari answered many other questions ranging from India’s chances of getting a permanent seat at the UN Security Council, youth around the world being swayed by ISIS ideology in Iraq and Syria, need for retaining English as a link language of administration etc.
The Governor of Maharashtra, Mr. C Vidya Sagar Rao was also present as the Guest of Honour. Sofia College Principal Sister Ananda Amritmahal anchored the student’s interaction with the Vice President of India.
In the afternoon, Vice President also paid a visit to the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research at Colaba and interacted with Faculty and Ph.D students. Tomorrow, Mr Ansari will pay a visit to the Asiatic Society, Mumbai, before flying back to New Delhi completing his four day Mangalore, Goa, Karwar, Mumbai tour.
PIB Mum | MB / MD
