The All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), the regulatory authority for technical education in India, has issued a vital directive to engineering colleges and technology institutions. In a proactive move, AICTE has called upon these institutions to assume a pivotal role in raising awareness about the critical issue of population explosion. This burgeoning demographic challenge poses significant threats to the nation, including potential food scarcity, as well as social and political instability.
AICTE, in recognizing the urgent need for action, emphasizes that India finds itself at a crossroads where its population is growing at an unprecedented rate, while its finite resources—such as land, food, water, and energy—remain finite. Consequently, the council has urged its affiliated institutes to embark on a multifaceted campaign to educate and engage the public on the far-reaching consequences of unchecked population growth. These initiatives encompass a wide range of activities, including seminars, symposiums, and outreach programs that shed light on the multifaceted effects of this demographic challenge.
“As responsible citizens, we must understand that our country is facing challenges of population explosion. As all the resources like land, food, water and energy are limited, rapidly increasing population may lead to food insecurity, water and land scarcity, loss of biodiversity, increased pollution levels and social and political instability,” the AICTE said in a communication to Vice Chancellors of technical varsities and heads of institutions.
“All AICTE-approved institutions and universities are requested to create awareness about the negative impact of population explosion and to organise seminars, symposiums, workshops and quizzes on bad effects of population growth as it is important to find a balance between population growth and the capacity of Earth’s ecosystems to support human life and maintain a healthy environment,” it added.
In a resounding call to action, the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) has fervently appealed to all its approved institutions and universities to spearhead initiatives aimed at raising awareness about the detrimental consequences of the population explosion. AICTE urges these academic bodies to orchestrate a series of impactful events, including seminars, symposiums, workshops, and quizzes, focusing on the adverse effects of unchecked population growth. The council emphasizes the pressing need to strike a delicate balance between the burgeoning human populace and the Earth’s limited capacity to sustain life and maintain a harmonious environment.
This call for action comes as India achieved a significant demographic milestone in April of this year, surpassing China to become the world’s most populous nation. The growing chorus of concerns regarding dwindling resources has intensified, with experts warning that the equilibrium between the surging population and the available resources is becoming increasingly precarious.
As of April, India’s population stood at a staggering 142.86 crore, edging slightly ahead of China’s 142.57 crore, as reported by the United Nations. This population surge has been a topic of growing global scrutiny, highlighting the gravity of the situation.
According to the Pew Research Centre, India’s population has witnessed an astounding increase of more than one billion people since 1950, coinciding with the inception of the United Nations’ population data collection efforts. This alarming trajectory underscores the urgency of addressing the complex challenges posed by unbridled population growth and its far-reaching ramifications.
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