President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates Ignou centres at Rairangpur

Bhubaneswar: President Droupadi Murmu virtually inaugurated an Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou) regional centre and an IGNOU skill centre at Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district on Thursday.The event had been organised under the Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) initiative of the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship in New Delhi on Thursday.Speaking on the occasion, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said establishment of the new Ignou centres at Rairangpur will boost employment and entrepreneurship. For the first time, skill education will be provided along with academic education through Ignou, which will bring about a significant transformation. He said the President, being an educator herself, exemplified values and dignity through her life. Under her guidance, these centres will particularly benefit people from the most marginalised sections of society. He added that the natural resources, forests and labour force of Mayurbhanj will be effectively utilised by connecting local tribal and rural communities with AI and modern technologies, thereby enhancing their capabilities.Pradhan further said India is currently hosting the ‘AI Impact’ conference. At a time when the world views artificial intelligence with apprehension, India should see it as an opportunity. Arrangements will be made to educate the new generation through AI, he said. ‘AI for All’ will prove to be a game-changer in the coming days.To realise the Prime Minister’s vision of an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, citizens’ economic output must be increased. For building a developed India, workforce participation needs to be raised from 50% to 75%, and skill development is the key foundation for this, the Union minister added.