CMS National Lecture Series onAnalysing and Envisioning India!

Dr Narendra Jadhav delivered CMS National Lecture on "Social Justice, Empowerment and Skill Development"

The tenth lecture of CMS national lectures series "Analysing and Envisioning India" was organised on May 20 at Nehru Memorial Museum & Library (NMML) auditorium. The national lecture on the topic "Social justice, empowerment and skill development" was delivered by eminent economist and member, Planning Commission Dr Narendra Jadhav. The lecture was presided over by Prof. V. N Rajashekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor, IGNOU. Also present on the occasion were Dr Mridula Mukherejee (Director, NMML), Dr N Bhaskara Rao (Chairman, CMS) and Ms P N Vasanti (Director, CMS).

Dr Jadhav started his lecture giving an historical context of disempowerment of dalits and adivasis in India. He said, "According to 2011 census, there are about 180 million dalits, variously called "Scheduled Castes" in India and around 90 million adivasis, called as "Scheduled Tribes" and they continue to suffer under India's 3500 year old caste system which remains a stigma on humanity. While caste discrimination may have changed form, it has however, not disappeared at all; the substance is still there." Talking about the contemporary India he said that the resurgence of growth that India has seen in the last two decades after the reforms and the growing resilience of the economy has been reflected in the social sector also. There is a decline in the poverty ratio and an improvement in the health scenario. However there is a paradox. While India happens to be one of the fastest growing nations in the world, when it comes to Human development Index, India is almost at the bottom. Dr Jadhav emphasized that the current social scenario necessitates more focused approach and efforts for the empowerment of the marginalized sections of the society through education and skill enhancement.

At the end of the lecture Dr Narendra Jadhav was bestowed with CMS "Role Model Award" by Prof. V. N Rajashekharan Pillai (Vice Chancellor, IGNOU), Dr N Bhaskara Rao (Chairman, CMS), and Ms PN Vasanti (Director, CMS). The citation was read by Mr J Veeraraghavan, Director, Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan.

Dated: 20 May 2011 Social Justice, Empowerment and Skill Development
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