Urges them to tackle ‘out-of-syllabus’ challenges
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged IIT Delhi graduates to place national interest at the centre of their careers, calling on them to question accepted ideas, identify problems that society has stopped treating as questions and develop solutions that contribute to India’s development over the next three decades.
Addressing the 57th Convocation Ceremony of IIT Delhi, Modi said the graduating students were entering a world undergoing rapid technological and geopolitical change, where the ability to continuously learn, adapt and solve new problems would determine success.
“The basis of every decision of yours should absolutely be what the benefit to the country will be and which national need will be fulfilled,” he said.
Modi said every generation had a responsibility to define its own legacy. Recalling the freedom movement, he said the goal of independence had once given an entire generation a clearly defined purpose marked by sacrifice and perseverance.
He challenged the present generation to similarly identify the goals that would define its contribution to the country.
The Prime Minister said the real test for IIT graduates would begin outside the structured academic environment, where problems would not necessarily come with clearly defined questions or solutions.
“Life’s most critical challenges operate entirely ‘out of syllabus’,” he said, urging the graduates not merely to answer questions but to identify questions that others had stopped asking.
He said many successful IIT alumni had achieved distinction because they had “boldly identified those crucial questions which the world had stopped considering as questions”.
Modi also urged students to question ideas accepted without thought, but cautioned that questioning alone was not enough. He called for the courage and capability to find solutions to the problems identified.
He said the rapid pace of technological advancement was driving major changes across the world and creating both challenges and opportunities.
“Those who have the courage to find new solutions to challenges, for them, the challenges will become opportunities,” he said.
The Prime Minister told students that their IIT degree represented more than a high CGPA or a lucrative placement. It was, he said, a global certification of their ability to solve highly difficult problems.
“Your degree tells the entire world that you know exactly how to solve highly difficult problems,” Modi said.
He advised the graduates to approach major challenges by breaking them into manageable components, drawing a parallel with solving complex laboratory problems.
Modi said difficulties would inevitably arise in professional and personal life, but new opportunities would emerge alongside them if young people remained alert and adaptable.
Highlighting sectors expected to shape India’s future, Modi said artificial intelligence, data centres, critical minerals, deep-sea exploration, quantum computing and energy security were among the areas waiting for young Indians to contribute through innovation and leadership.
He said the country was pursuing greater self-reliance across economic, technological and industrial sectors and that empowering youth was central to building a Viksit Bharat.
Modi pointed to reforms that had opened sectors previously accessible to only a limited number of players.
He cited the transformation of the space sector as an example, saying young engineers were now designing and launching rockets, creating opportunities that were previously available to only a handful of countries.
“The Space Sector has beautifully become a sky of new opportunities for thousands of our youths,” he said.
On semiconductors, Modi said India had moved from scepticism about domestic chip production to the establishment of initial manufacturing units.
He highlighted the significance of young Indians entering the semiconductor ecosystem, referring to the emergence of people who could describe themselves as the “first in my bloodline to make a chip in India”.
He also highlighted the drone sector, saying young innovators were using the technology in agriculture, medical delivery and national defence and were creating new applications.
Modi credited the current generation with powering India’s startup revolution and pointed to the growth of unicorns, digital payments and FinTech as examples of the opportunities created for young entrepreneurs.
He said these developments had enabled millions of young people to attempt something new and pursue entrepreneurial opportunities.
The Prime Minister placed particular emphasis on research, saying India needed a major expansion of research and innovation to meet its future requirements.
He highlighted the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship and the Anusandhan National Research Foundation, backed by a funding target of up to Rs 1 lakh crore.
“Today the country desperately needs new research, and our administrative focus is equally and firmly on research,” he said.
Modi also highlighted the One Nation One Subscription initiative, saying it would enable access to prestigious international research journals even in smaller cities without additional costs.
He said the research push could succeed only with sustained commitment from young researchers and students.
Modi urged the graduates to retain curiosity and a willingness to learn throughout their careers.
“Amidst all this rapid change, remember my words: the one who continuously learns is the one who will win,” he said.
He also asked students to value the people who had supported them during their time at IIT Delhi, including classmates, professors, mentors and support staff.
Recalling campus life, he referred to inter-hostel rivalries involving Kumaon, Ara, Kara, Vindhy, Nilgiri, Kailash and Himadri, as well as food memories such as Jia Sarai’s poha and Satpura mess parathas.
He said such memories would continue to provide energy as the graduates took on greater responsibilities.
Modi also cautioned the graduates against measuring their progress against peers through social media, particularly in terms of salaries, placements and startup milestones.
He urged them to focus instead on their own development and maintain their physical and mental well-being.
“Life is absolutely not a leader-board; your real race is not with anyone else, it is with yourself,” he said.
The Prime Minister congratulated the graduating students, medal recipients and their families, and acknowledged the contribution of teachers, mentors and other institutional staff.
He also welcomed the launch of new AI initiatives at IIT Delhi, saying the institute and its graduates had an important role to play in India’s technological and research ambitions.
Modi recalled his earlier virtual participation in an IIT Delhi convocation during the COVID-19 pandemic and said being physically present on campus for the current ceremony had a special significance for him.
He told the graduates that their transition from orientation to convocation marked the beginning of a new phase, with varied paths ahead—from employment and startups to further studies and competitive examinations.
He concluded by urging them to remain curious, keep learning, take risks in solving difficult problems and use their skills to contribute to the country’s development.
