Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar presenting degrees to students during the graduation ceremony at RVS College of Arts & Science (Autonomous) in Coimbatore on Sunday.
The education system should be reoriented to produce entrepreneurs and job creators instead of merely preparing students for employment, Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said at the graduation ceremony of RVS College of Arts & Science (Autonomous) in Coimbatore on Sunday (July 19).Urging graduates to embrace entrepreneurship, he said students should choose “risky prosperity” over “guaranteed poverty” by creating enterprises that generate employment.Addressing graduating students, Mr. Arlekar said educational institutions should move beyond showcasing placement statistics and instead focus on nurturing entrepreneurship.“Today, institutions advertise 90% or 95% placement. But is education meant only to create job seekers? Our education system should aim to create job givers,” he said.He called upon colleges to establish incubation centres and entrepreneurship development cells to encourage students to launch startups and become employers.Drawing a distinction between salaried employment and entrepreneurship, the Governor cited an economist’s observation that “Indian youth prefers guaranteed poverty to risky prosperity.”“A monthly salary offers guaranteed income but limited growth. Entrepreneurship involves risk, but it also offers the possibility of prosperity. Young people are the ones who can afford to take that risk,” he said.Mr. Arlekar said graduation represented not merely the awarding of a degree but an “upgradation” of one’s thinking, skills, talent and commitment to society.The Governor also highlighted the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP-2020), describing it as a significant step towards decolonising India’s education system. He said the policy shifts the focus from rote learning to multidisciplinary education, research, innovation and entrepreneurship.He stressed that research should become an integral part of higher education and urged institutions to blend India’s traditional knowledge systems with modern technology.“Our aim should be to create masters, not slaves,” he said, adding that graduates should aspire to build enterprises, create employment and contribute to society rather than limiting themselves to seeking jobs. Published - July 19, 2026 07:51 pm IST
