New blocks worth Rs 156 cr inaugurated at VIT

Speaking at the event which saw a 13-storeyed hostel block and a five-storeyed administrative block built at a total cost of over Rs.156 crore in the university campus being inaugurated, Viswanathan said the Education Promotion Society of India (EPSI) --of which he was the president-- planned to take the initiative to raise the maximum age for free education to 18 years from the existing 14.

He also added that he had suggested to the Central government to make the provision available to at least girl students, and later extend it to the boys, too, if the provision can’t be implemented immediately.

Viswanathan stated that free education was available only to those children in government schools, and said that this had to change if the nation was to make progress. While there had been demands repeatedly placed over the past 40 years to raise the budget on higher education to 6% of the nation’s GDP, the nation currently spends less than 4%, he added.

Indian bank MD and CEO Padmaja Chunduru, addressing the audience, said that India empowered women without judging them based on their colour or looks. Ms G Muthazhagi, Ramco systems VP (Delivery and Support) and a former alumnus, was the guest of honour. Vice-presidents Shankar Viswanathan and Sekar Viswanathan, VC Anand Samuel, Pro-VC S Narayanan and CEO Sandhya Pentareddy also presided.