President Pranab Mukherjee made a fervent appeal Thursday to bring together the talents of teachers and students, and use all available resources to get the best results in education in the country.

“Indian students have the talent, teachers have the skills. We have the resources and infrastructure too. We must put together all these to get the best results in education,” Mukherjee said here at the 10th convocation of the Tripura University.

“I feel sad and disappointed when we evaluate the quality of education and learn that there is not a single educational institution in India among the top 200 world class educational institutions,” the president said.

Elaborating how a number of educational institutions rose in the last decade, he said that India has 659 universities, 33,000 colleges, 43 central universities, two special universities on marine and agricultural sectors, 16 IITs and 33 NITs, with about 2.60 lakh students studying in these institutions.

“It is a huge disgrace that per thousand students, only seven in India enter into higher education, as against 34 in USA and 21 in Grermany,” Mukherjee said, in a 22-minute speech delivered extempore.

He said that before the modern era, India had dominated higher education for more than 1,800 years.

Referring to scientists C.V. Raman and S. Chandrasekhar, economist Amartya Sen and famous educational institutions like Nalanda, Bikramshila, Udhampuri and Shombihar, the president said India had already established its ability in the world as a milieu for providing good education.

Expressing his deep sorrow over the growing atrocities on women, Mukherjee said: “We must follow the values of our ancient civilization. We are also allowing corruption and indiscipline, but not going for self introspection.”

“We cannot allow society to be insensitive. We must have patience and tolerance for everyone in society,” he said.

The president, who gave away medals and certificates to five selected post graduate students, highly appreciated the authorities of Tripura University for introducing those realistic courses nearer to the ground – environment and forests, microbiology, bamboo, rubber and handicrafts.

The president was the chief guest at the convocation, which was attended by Tripura governor Devanand Konwar, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and his council of ministers, among others.

The Tripura University, which turned into a central university in July 2007, was set up in 1987.