Key Elements to Pick from PM Modi's Speech at Smart India Hackathon 2020


Key Elements to Pick from PM Modi's Speech at Smart India Hackathon 2020

On Saturday, i.e., August 1, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the students participating in the grand finale of Smart India Hackathon 2020. The Smart India Hackathon is a nation-wide initiative organized by the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE). The initiative provides students with a platform to solve some of the pressing IT problems prevalent in our day-to-day lives. Initiated in 2017, the competition breeds a culture of product innovation and a mindset of problem-solving among the youth.

This year's Smart India Hackathon witnessed more than 1,000 students competing for the initiative. Students competed to solve 243 problem statements from 37 central government departments, 17 state governments, and 20 industries, with each problem statement carrying prize money of Rs 1 Lakh.  During his speech addressing the students that spanned nearly 20 minutes, PM Modi pointed out some of the critical elements that would ensure India's growth and prosperity.

Here are the key take-aways' from Prime Minister Modi's speech at the Smart India Hackathon 2020:

Learn, Question, and Solve is the Way Forward

During his address, Prime Minister Modi appealed to the country's youth, not to stop doing three things – learn, question, and solve. PM Modi said, "Learn so you can question things, question, and you will be able to create solutions. When you solve problems and make efforts, with your efforts, you grow, and with you, India grows".

National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 – Access to 21st Century Education

In his speech, Prime Minister Modi hailed the recently introduced National Education Policy 2020. The Prime Minister said that the policy was specially designed keeping in mind the aspirations of the youth in India. He said that the policy is an attempt towards the systematic reforms within the Indian education system.

"The 21st century is an era of knowledge. This is the time to increase focus on --learning, research, innovation. And, this is exactly what India's National Education Policy, 2020 does," PM Modi said. The Prime Minister further added, "Among the most exciting things about the policy is the emphasis on interdisciplinary study. This concept has been gaining popularity. And, rightly so. One size does not fit all. One subject does not define who you are".

Smart India Hackathon is Just a Stepping Stone

During his address, the Prime Minister pointed out and assured the students that the Hackathon is not the first problem they have to solve. It is merely the beginning of many such initiatives to follow.

Awareness about Women Hygiene

In addition to all this, Narendra Modi also stressed the importance of women's hygiene in India. He talked about the efforts made by the government in providing affordable biodegradable pads to women.

Focus on Quality Education

According to PM Narendra Modi, initiatives such as Smart India Hackathon, more scholarships for students – all these are aimed to ensure that our education system becomes modern and progressive