The President of India Ram Nath Kovind on Monday said the goal of education should not be limited to getting jobs, but the students should use their learning and skills to set up own enterprises.

Addressed the 9th convocation of the Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, Kovind said education should not be limited to simply in getting a job. “Instead the students can start their own enterprises by using their skills and learning as there is immense potential in the field of fruit and vegetable processing,” he said.

With their knowledge and enterprise, graduates of the University could help consumers in the country and abroad get better food products and help farmers get better value for their produce, he said.

He urged the students to take advantage of various schemes and initiatives of the Union and state governments to set up their businesses in the agriculture sector.

The President said the Dr YS Parmar University has the distinction of being the first Horticultural University in Asia. “Research in horticulture and forestry has a special significance for farmers in mountainous regions such as in HP. Over the past three decades, the Dr YS Parmar University has contributed significantly to the advance of horticulture and forestry in the state,” he said.

The President congratulated students of the University for choosing to pursue their education in the agricultural sector.

This sector, he is said, is associated with the prosperity of farmers, the rural community and the entire country.

He said he considered each student and teacher of this University to be a technically-equipped friend and partner of the farmers of HP as well as other parts of our country.

The President was to be conferred with honorary degree of Doctorate of Science, however, he declined to accept on principle and thanked the university authorities for the proposal.

He lauded the role of women in traditional farming especially horticulture and expressed pleasures of girls six gold medals, out of the total eight medal which were awarded during convocation.

The President conferred the gold medals to Rajesh Kumar, Bharti, Neha Verma, Ankita, Chirag Bhatia, Kritika Sharma, Priyanka Chauhan, and Manvi Sharma.

He also presented SP Dhull Gold Medal to Ankita and all the students receiving gold medals and degrees on the occasion. Apart from the gold medals, degrees were also awarded to 462 students during the convocation.

Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, varsity Vice Chancellor Dr HC and Deputy Director General (Education) Research and Extension Council, ICAR New Delhi Dr NS Rathore were present on the occasion.