It's important to develop competencies: EAM Jaishankar at Life Skills Education meet in Thiruvananthapuram

Jan 06, 2024

New Delhi [India], January 6 : External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday attended the 9th International Conference on Life Skills Education in Thiruvananthapuram and stated that the conference is 'one step ahead' in the larger direction.
While addressing students at the conference, Jaishankar spoke at length on life skills and said that it is important to develop competencies.
"You all have been discussing this subject, and we know, for us, what is it, which we are trying to develop through these conversations. Our hope that, whether young people who are starting professional life, or whether we are those who are more experienced, they are to continue, to aspire, to better themselves. We would like to develop competencies...We would be able to make informed judgements," Jaishankar said.
"The sensible competition is like running a sprint...life is a marathon-- you are running every day...but somewhere in life, the importance of values, in the sense of standards, or norms and ethics...that is why when I say develop a passion but develop a purpose...having a purpose is very important for life...I know that this conference will be one step in the larger direction of what we are trying to do," he added.
He also spoke on Viksit Bharat and said, "Viksit Bharat is when all 140 billion will all go forward..."
"When we speak about Viksit Bharat, it will require a completely, much higher level of I would say, human skills, of human development, of human resources," he added.
In December last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi articulated that the vision to transform India into a developed nation by 2047, under the initiative 'Viksit Bharat 2047', centres on the focus on GYAN, which he elucidated as Garib (poor), Yuva (youth), Annadata (farmers), and Narishakti (women empowerment).
Inaugurating the Viksit Bharat Sankalp yatra across various states to promote awareness about government welfare schemes, the Prime Minister emphasized his commitment to making India a developed country by its 100th year of independence.