New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) Education system plays a key role in preparing youth for the country's future and the government is working on modernising it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.

Addressing the YUGM Innovation Conclave at Bharat Mandapam here, Modi asserted that it is crucial that the journey from idea to prototype to product is completed in the shortest time possible.

Emphasising the need to consistently promote AI, quantum computing, advanced analytics, space tech, health tech, and synthetic biology, Modi highlighted India's leading position in AI development and adoption.

"The education system plays a crucial role in this preparation and underscored efforts to modernize India's education system to meet 21st-century needs. The introduction of the New National Education Policy is designed with global education standards in mind," he said while noting the significant changes it has brought to the Indian education system.

Underscoring the importance of meeting the goal of a developed India within the next 25 years, the prime minister said, "it is crucial that the journey from idea to prototype to product is completed in the shortest time possible".

He stressed that reducing the distance from lab to market ensures faster delivery of research outcomes to the people, motivates researchers, and provides tangible incentives for their work.

"This accelerates the cycle of research, innovation, and value addition," he said.

The prime minister called for a robust research ecosystem, urging academic institutions, investors, and industry to support and guide researchers.

The youth today excels not only in research and development but have become ready, emphasising the transformative contributions of India’s young generation to research across various sectors," he said.

Citing milestones like the commissioning of the world’s longest hyperloop test track, a 422-metre hyperloop developed at IIT Madras in collaboration with Indian Railways, the PM lauded groundbreaking achievements such as nanotechnology developed by scientists at IISc Bangalore to control light at the nano-scale and the "brain on a chip" technology, capable of storing and processing data across over 16,000 conduction states in a molecular film.

He further highlighted the development of India's first indigenous MRI machine just weeks ago.

Quoting the scriptures in Sanskrit meaning true life is lived in service and selflessness, Modi remarked that science and technology should also serve as mediums for service.

He remarked on the development of the National Curriculum Framework, Learning Teaching Material, and new textbooks for classes one to seven.

The prime minister highlighted the creation of AI-based and scalable digital education infrastructure platform - ‘One Nation, One Digital Education Infrastructure’ under PM e-Vidya and DIKSHA platforms, enabling the preparation of textbooks in over 30 Indian languages and seven foreign languages.

"The National Credit Framework has made it easier for students to study diverse subjects simultaneously, providing modern education and opening new career paths," he said.

He stressed upon the importance of strengthening India's research ecosystem to achieve national goals, highlighting the doubling of gross expenditure on Research and Development from Rs 60,000 crore in 2013-14 to over Rs 1.25 lakh crore, the establishment of state-of-the-art research parks, and the creation of Research and Development Cells in nearly 6,000 higher education institutions.

He underscored that leading global universities are also opening campuses in India, promoting academic exchange, research collaboration, and cross-cultural learning opportunities for Indian students.

"The trinity of Talent, Temperament and Technology will transform India's future”, stressed the prime minister, highlighting initiatives such as Atal Tinkering Labs, with 10,000 labs already operational, and the announcement of 50,000 more in this year’s budget to provide early exposure to children," he said.

YUGM (a Sanskrit word meaning confluence) is a first-of-its-kind strategic conclave convening leaders from government, academia, industry, and the innovation ecosystem.

The day-long conclave aims to catalyse large-scale private investment in India's innovation ecosystem and accelerate research-to-commercialisation pipelines in frontier tech.

The conclave will also include high-level roundtables and panel discussions involving government officials, top industry and academic leaders; action-oriented dialogue on enabling fast-track translation of research into impact; a deep tech startup showcase featuring cutting-edge innovations from across India; and exclusive networking opportunities across sectors to spark collaborations and partnerships. PTI GJS/KR GJS DV DV