VIT Chancellor emphasises on the need for greater investment in higher education

The Higher Education for All scholarship distribution ceremony was held at VIT’s Anna Arangam, where Chancellor G. Viswanathan emphasized the need for increased investment in education to drive India’s growth. He highlighted that only 28% of youth aged 18-23 have access to higher education, urging the government to allocate more resources to bridge this gap.
Viswanathan pointed out that Tamil Nadu leads in higher education accessibility, with a 48-50% enrollment rate, while states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh lag behind. He cited China’s success in surpassing 60% enrollment due to its heavy investment in education and stressed that India must follow suit. He also called for prioritizing free education over material benefits like mixers and grinders, arguing that education is the key to eradicating poverty and boosting the economy.
The event marked the distribution of scholarships worth Rs. 11.86 crore, benefitting 9,878 students, with 1,182 scholarships awarded that day. VIT professors and staff contributed a day’s salary to the fund, raising ₹94 lakh last year alone. Two-thirds of the recipients were first-generation college students, and 68% were women.
Educationist Krishnaraj Vanavarayan, the special guest, praised Viswanathan’s contributions to higher education, likening his impact to that of M.G. Ramachandran, who pioneered self-financing colleges. He encouraged students to dream big and work hard, reinforcing the role of education in India’s rise as a global economic power. The event concluded with speeches from various dignitaries, reaffirming the trust’s commitment to expanding educational opportunities.