Kolkata, April 2 (IANS): With India set to have over half of the world's working population, this human resource can become a dividend if it is utilised properly, President Pranab Mukherjee said here on Wednesday.

"While the population of Europe and China are ageing, India will have more than half of the working population of the world. This human resource can become a dividend if it is utilised properly," the president said after inaugurating the Centenary Building of Asutosh College.

He said that was the reason plans have been developed by the central government to impart skill development training to over 50 crore population by 2022, so that they find jobs both inside and outside India.

Stressing the need for improving the quality of higher education in the country, the president said the 11th Five Year Plan had made provisions for that.

He regretted that despite the country having over 700 universities and around 36,000 degree colleges, with nearly two crore students participating in tertiary education, the international education rating agencies have not placed any of these institutions within the best 200 of the world.

"On the whole, the quality of education in the country is still low," he said.

He also called for creating the right environment for excellence in higher education.