President Murmu Highlights Need to Bring Changes in Education System, Says AI No Threat

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday said there is a need to make some changes to the education system in management institutions for the inclusive development of the country. The President, who presented the ‘Lakshmipat Singhania-IIM Lucknow National Leadership Awards’ here, also called for linking artificial intelligence (AI) to management education and said one who knows and uses it properly should not have any fear of losing his or her job.

“We have to bring some changes in the education system of our management institutions for more effective and inclusive development of the country,” Murmu said. She urged managers, educationists and organisational heads to connect Indian management studies with Indian companies, consumers and society.

Instead of case studies and articles about businesses based abroad, the President said, case studies about Indian and multinational companies based in the country should be written and taught. “Our management institutes should also focus their research on research journals based in India. Special attention should be paid to those Indian journals that are in the open access domain and are accessible to students and researchers of every category,” she said.

Referring to the recent rescue of 41 workers from the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand, Mumru said the rescue operation is not only being appreciated but there is also talk of conducting leadership studies on it. “This is a very good and lively topic, especially for leadership and teamwork in a crisis,” she said.

Speaking about AI, Murmu said many people are worried about job loss due to this technological innovation. “One who knows AI and uses it properly should not have any fear of losing his job due to AI,” she said.

She called for linking all dimensions of AI to management education. The President said the blind race to increase production and productivity has harmed humanity.

“Climate change and ecological disturbances are the result of the same. Today, the whole world is struggling with this challenge. The concept of profit maximisation may be a part of western culture but this concept has not been given priority in Indian culture,” she said. However, she said, entrepreneurship has been given prominence in Indian culture.

“Our youth are adopting the culture of self-employment. India is the third largest startup ecosystem in the world and is named among the best unicorn hubs in the world,” she said. Murmu said this is an example of the management skills and business leadership of the youth of the country apart from their technical knowledge.

“The Indian youth are also heading the world’s leading technology companies,” she said, asking institutions like IIM Lucknow to create a curriculum keeping in mind the goal of making India a developed nation in the ‘Amrit Kaal’.