India must transform itself into a creator of artificial intelligence rather than remain merely a consumer of it, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Saturday. She was speaking as chief guest at the 41st convocation of VIT University, Vellore, presided over by VIT Chancellor G Viswanathan. Gupta conferred degree certificates on graduating students during the ceremony. Addressing the gathering, Gupta said many of society’s pressing problems could be solved when Government and graduates work in tandem. Citing Delhi’s own experience, she noted that the city had found solutions to challenges such as pollution, traffic congestion and waste management by partnering with IIT institutions. She urged the graduating students to take up similar roles once they entered the workforce, contributing to solutions for their cities and to innovation for the nation.

 

In his address, G Viswanathan said India’s Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education stands at around 30 percent, which the Union Government’s new education policy aims to raise to 50 percent. India must compete with other Asian nations on this front, he said, citing enrolment ratios of 90 per cent in South Korea, 60 percent in Japan, over 60 percent in China, 40 percent in Malaysia and 45 percent in Thailand. Babu Unnikrishnan, Vice President and CTO at TCS, also addressed the gathering. The ceremony was also attended by VIT Vice-Presidents Sankar Viswanathan and Sekar Viswanathan, G.V. Selvam, Executive Director Sandhya Pentareddy, Assistant Vice-President Kadhambari S. Viswanathan, Ramani Balasundaram, Vice-Chancellor V.S. Kanchana Bhaskaran, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Parthasarathy Mallik, and Registrar T. Jayabharathi, along with deans, professors, parents and students.