Visakhapatnam: Higher education in India is facing new challenges in the backdrop of world political changes and merging of various technologies, observed Dr. S.R. Rao, advisor at Department of Biotechnology, Union Ministry of Science and Technology, at Gitam University here on Friday. He participated as chief guest to deliver the graduation day address during Gitam Centre for Distance Learning’s (CDL) 5th graduation ceremony.

Dr. Rao said nations like the US were taking new decisions to allow foreign students and that would be a great impact on Indian higher education and universities in the country must redesign the curriculum on par with world education. He said smartphone is a great example to redesign the curriculum because it is mixed form of 17 technologies. He said the Government of India is inviting Indian intellectuals who are working in different countries, as a result of which around 3,000 such scientists have shown interest to work with Indian research organisations.

He hoped that the number would increase in future. He mentioned that there is no big difference between distance education and conventional education if a learner has strong will power. He handed over the gold medals to meritorious students. Gitam university chancellor Prof. K. Ramakrishna Rao said the university aimed to take higher education to the remote areas at less expense. He advised students to follow the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi to eradicate social evils. Gitam university vice-chancellor Prof. M.S. Prasada Rao said higher education distance education was contributing 22% in the country and expected to grow further.