Reading habit is the base of education: Prof. Lama

SHIVADEEP RAI
Gangtok: “Sikkim would be ten times better than now if education and knowledge are infused in the society”, said Prof. Dr. Mahendra P Lama, Vice Chancellor of Sikkim University.
He was addressing the gathering as the chief guest at the one-day orientation programme at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Regional Centre at 5th Mile on May 7. He said education is the core significant factor of the present time and Sikkim is one of the fast growing states and best in the field of education in the entire nation.
He underlined the base of education saying, “reading habit is the most fundamental factor for education”. He said people of the hills enjoy everything like playing games, listening music, and watching movies. But one thing they do not enjoy is reading. “People feel hesitant and bothered about buying books and reading it though they do not feel the same for buying costly stuffs like cell phones”, he observed. “You won’t get the knowledge and empowerment from anywhere which you get by reading books”, he said.
“If you enjoy everything then also enjoy reading books, suggest to your family and friends to read books and never think it as a burden”, he advised. “Education gives the talent to seek and fight for your rights and knowledge gives the power to get the rights and utilize the rights in a proper way”, he noted.
Talking of Sikkim University, the Vice Chancellor informed that interdisciplinary courses have been introduced in the university where class XII passed students can take their desired subjects and courses in the college regardless of their class XII stream. “It is very revolutionary”, he said. He believes that students of class XII standards can do wonders and “interdisciplinary course is a platform to enhance their talents and worth”.
He said the vision of the State Government is to make the university an international institution. “Within 5 to 6 years, Sikkim University would be a thriving university in the world”, he said, adding, “We want to make the people of Sikkim as knowledgeable as the people of other literate states”.
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The orientation programme with the theme of development of “study skills and psychological skills for better performance of the IGNOU learners” was organized by IGNOU Regional Centre, Gangtok in collaboration with Staff Training and Research Institute of Distance Education (STRIDE) and Educational Development of Northeast Region Unit (EDNRU) IGNOU, New Delhi. Those present included 110 academic counselors, 3 programme incharge and students of IGNOU. Prof. PK Biswas from STRIDE, Dr A Bardarajan from EDNRU and Dr Ila Das, Regional Director of IGNOU Regional Centre, Gangtok, were the resource persons for the programme.
Norzang Lepcha, Area MLA of Rakdong Tintek, who did his M.A. in Sociology from IGNOU, also attended the programme.
In his address, he emphasized on the significance of education and people’s contribution for the betterment of the society and the world.