Speaking in Hindi, Mukherjee expressed concern over the standard of higher education in the country. He said he was pained to know that in a recent survey conducted to rate top 200 universities in the world, not even a single Indian institution figured.
He said there were more than 650 degree awarding institutions in the country but still there was need for more good institutions. Addressing the students and academics, he also stressed on the need for focusing on innovation and research.
He said the decade 2010-20 has been declared a decade of innovation and asked universities to play a leading role in this direction.
“Hindi has always played an important role in the national integration. It is a symbol of India's social and cultural unity,” he said. BJP leader Sushma Swaraj lamented the fact that though as a language Hindi is capable of expressing any idea, thought or feeling, yet the tendency to add more and more English words was rising.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said a majority of children of the state studied in Hindi medium schools and had difficulty at higher levels of education as English becomes the prevalent medium of learning.
Higher Education Minister laxmikant Sharma said that academic activities have started in the university. Citing reasons behind naming it after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he said that Vajpayee has glorified Hindi and established it at global-level. Sharma said that prosperity and development is possible through Hindi language. Describing about speech of Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Parliament, Vice-Chancellor of Vishwavidyalaya Mohanlal Chheepa expected cooperation from the Union Government for the university. He also threw light on preliminary academic activities of the Vishwavidyalaya.
On the occasion, a photo exhibition showcasing personality of Atal Bihari Vajpayee was also put up. Chief Minister Chouhan inspected it.