Number of Girls Studying at DU More Than Boys: PM Modi at Delhi University's Centenary Celebrations
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan arrived at Delhi University to attend the closing ceremony of the university's centenary celebrations. DU has successfully completed 100 years today, on June 30, 2023, since its establishment on May 1, 1922. During the event, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the remarkable growth of DU, from merely three colleges in the past to now boasting more than 90 colleges. Notably, the number of female students studying at the university and its affiliated colleges surpasses that of male students. The Prime Minister also emphasized India's economic progress, remarking that the country has transitioned from being considered fragile to now being among the top five global economies.
In his speech, PM Modi stated, "The third decade of the 20th century fueled the freedom movement's momentum, and now the third decade of the 21st century will accelerate the country's development journey. In recent years, we have witnessed a significant rise in the number of prestigious institutes such as IITs, IIMs, NITs, and AIIMS. These institutions are the building blocks of New India." He further acknowledged the increasing international recognition of Indian universities, highlighting that while only 12 Indian universities were listed in the QS World University Rankings in 2014, the number has now risen to 45. Modi emphasized the government's continuous efforts to enhance the quality of educational institutions and cited the significant growth of startups in India, surpassing 1 lakh from the previous count of around 100 before 2014.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, speaking at the event, commended DU for fully implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) within the last three years. He emphasized the heightened responsibility that comes with DU's completion of 100 years and expressed gratitude for the Prime Minister's leadership in the implementation of NEP.
During the ceremony, Prime Minister Modi also laid the foundation stone for three new buildings at DU: the Faculty of Technology (North Campus), a computer center, and an academic block in Maurice Naga. These state-of-the-art seven-storeyed buildings are expected to be completed within the next two years. Additionally, PM Modi unveiled three 'coffee table books' during the event. One book will showcase the logos and mottos of various colleges, while another will outline the planned activities for the entire year. The third book will chronicle the historical achievements of DU.
PM Modi arrived at DU by taking the Delhi Metro, where he had the opportunity to interact with several young individuals. He traveled from Lok Kalyan Marg station to Vishwa Vidyalaya station. Prior to the event, the Prime Minister shared his anticipation, tweeting, "Looking forward to joining the University of Delhi's centenary celebrations at 11 AM tomorrow, 30th June. As a premier center of learning, DU has been nurturing talent and fostering intellectual growth for a century. Congratulations to the DU fraternity on this milestone."