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Voicing concern over increase in crime against women, President Pranab Mukherjee today said universities and academic institutions can play an important role in checking the moral decline.
Speaking at the Third Convocation of Nagaland University here, Mukherjee said, "The recent increase in cases of brutal assault on women and children has shaken the collective conscience of our nation."
He said these "unfortunate incidents" underscore the urgency for us to introspect the erosion of values and to devise effective measures for the safety and security of women and children.
"There is a need to identify the causes of moral decline in our society and our universities and academic institutions must take the lead to meet the moral challenge of our times and ensure that our civilisational values are fully entrenched in the young minds," he said.
Noting that education is a powerful tool for social thinking and transformation, the President said, "Our Constitution has laid down that we have to build our society based on the freedom of human spirit, economic opportunities for all and social justice.
"The higher education system in India rests on the three pillars of quality, affordability and accessibility," he said.
