Daijiworld Media Network – Kanpur
Kanpur, Jul 10: Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel has said women should strive to become "expert mothers" before aspiring to become IAS officers or teachers, stressing that professional success should go hand in hand with family responsibilities.
Addressing the 41st convocation of a university in Kanpur on Thursday, Patel, who is also the Chancellor of state universities, urged young women to continue their education and careers after marriage while contributing to their families and society.
"Whether you become an IAS officer or a teacher, first become an expert mother. Everyone should know how to cook the food prepared at home," she said, adding that daughters should not discontinue their education after marriage and should use their education and skills for nation-building.
Emphasising family values and character-building, Patel said education should not be confined to academic achievements alone. She also urged parents to remain actively involved in their children's lives even after they join schools and colleges.
"Parents should know what their children are doing after they enter educational institutions. Even a small lapse in supervision can adversely affect their future," she said.
Expressing concern over drug abuse near university hostels, the Governor said a monitoring team set up by the Raj Bhavan had uncovered instances of narcotics allegedly being supplied through food delivery containers. She said the network was dismantled through administrative intervention.
Patel also linked the rise in domestic violence and crimes against women to declining moral values, stating that education should be judged not only by degrees and marks but also by the values it instils.
"If degrees are increasing but society continues to witness such crimes, it reflects the true state of our education. Moral values are as important as academic knowledge," she said.
The university awarded degrees to 1,07,713 students during the convocation, with women securing nearly 82 per cent of the medals. Priya Yadav, a BSc Agriculture graduate, received the Chancellor's Gold Medal along with four other medals for topping the university.
In recent days, Patel has made several remarks on women's welfare and family values. At a mother-daughter conference in Lucknow on July 8, she called for greater awareness of women's health, nutrition, anaemia, menstruation, menopause, pregnancy and maternal care. She also directed universities to organise regular health check-ups for female students and promote awareness on maternal health.
Earlier, while addressing the convocation of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University in Lucknow, Patel had advised students to become financially self-reliant before marriage, saying young people should take informed decisions about their future.