Mangaluru: Teaching imparted in educational institutions and knowledge gained therein should enable the youth to discern between right and wrong, beliefs, traditions, practices and superstitions, said D Veerendra Heggade , dharmadhikari, Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala. “Doing so will give one an understanding of true value of their individuality. It will also enable one to harness the powers of science and not be slaves to it, and help them mould their personality,” he said.Inaugurating the two-day valedictory of year-long centenary celebrations of Besant Educational Institutions here on Friday, Heggade reminded the youth who want to be seen in sync with the times they live in, that they have a responsibility towards themselves and their nation. “Have conviction in everything that you do and do not fall prey to vices that come naturally in this quest to be seen as modern and progressive,” he warned.Advising the youth to develop curiosity commensurate to their age, Heggade said there is plenty of information available to be explored, unlike the era in which he grew up, where radio was the sole means of information. Evaluate the information that comes to you, but make your own judgements based on such information, he said, adding that in choosing between an old today and a new tomorrow, one should not forget the old today.Referring to the role played by theosophist Annie Besant who founded Women’s National Education Society, primarily to empower women through education, Heggade reminded the students of institutions run by the society, that they have a history to lean on and live up to. The likes of Annie Besant and Sri Aurobindo were harbingers of change, and work of Annie Besant in women’s emancipation and empowerment then lives on even today, he said.Ishwara P, in-charge VC, Mangalore University, who released the souvenir, referring to a decision of the state government, said all universities and colleges will start skill development centres and employment cells as part of skill development initiatives of both the Union and state governments. “The future of education lies in artificial intelligence, big data analytics, cloud computing and machine learning, and students should gear up for it,” he said.The university has also taken steps to frame syllabi for undergraduate students for choice based credit system that will enable them to undertake intra-disciplinary studies as well as study various skill-oriented papers. This flexibility will make the degrees offered to them universally acceptable, and open up employment opportunities for students, he said. Kudpi Jagadish Shenoy, president, WNES, presided over the function.

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