Mangaluru (The Hindu): Suresh Prabhu asks students to innovate and grab the opportunities that come their way. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Friday said as job profiles have changed now, students should understand that the ability to deliver through their skills matters far more than their degrees.

He was speaking at a function organised to present the Vishwa Konkani merit-cum-mean student scholarships by the Konkani Language and Cultural Foundation. The Minister said, “It is not so much about the jobs, which are becoming scarce anyway, but about tapping into the opportunities available.” Mr. Prabhu said that the private sector has opened up plenty of job opportunities.

He also asked the student not to forget their roots. Konkani is a language that has grown beyond caste and religion, he said.

R.V. Deshpande, Minister for Major and Medium Industries, said that competition is the buzzword now. “Have good character, integrity, and inculcate national pride and discipline,” he said.

T.V. Mohandas Pai, chairman, Manipal Global Education, said that students should be prepared to face the challenges of this technology-driven world.

“Future leaders will come from among those who can break barriers while retaining their identity. Develop economic, intellectual and leadership powers in order to succeed,” he said.

He asked the students to develop a problem-solving attitude. “Your B.Com, B.S.c degrees are equivalent to SSLC in the present context. Go and get your M.Tech, Ph.D and also take up add-on courses,” he said