Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday, 29 August called upon students to embrace constitutional and democratic methods as the only legitimate path to social transformation, while urging them to contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. Addressing the convocation ceremony of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University in Lucknow, Singh invoked Dr B.R. Ambedkar's foundational principles to make his case.

Ambedkar's Mantra Reinterpreted

Rajnath Singh drew directly from Dr Ambedkar's celebrated call to 'Educate, Agitate and Organise', offering a layered reading of each element. Agitation, he argued, must mean questioning injustice through constitutional channels — not through violence or disorder. He recalled that Ambedkar, in his final address to the Constituent Assembly, had explicitly warned that when democratic avenues exist, resorting to unconstitutional methods cannot be justified under any circumstance.

Singh described such extra-constitutional approaches as a 'grammar of anarchy' — a phrase Ambedkar himself had used — and urged graduates to reject them entirely. The invocation carried particular resonance given ongoing national debates around student protests and civil unrest.

Education, Innovation and the Viksit Bharat Goal

Rajnath Singh highlighted what he described as significant strides in India's education and innovation landscape over the past 12 years. Expenditure on research and development has doubled, he said, and the National Education Policy (NEP) — introduced after a gap of 34 years — has begun reshaping how institutions approach learning. Indian youth, he noted, are excelling in international Olympiads, launching start-ups, building unicorns and developing advanced technologies.

He added that India has risen in the Global Innovation Index and now ranks as the world's third-largest start-up ecosystem — a milestone he attributed in part to a generation of young, skilled graduates willing to take risks and experiment.

Call for Holistic Learning and Collective Action

The Defence Minister stressed that true education goes beyond rote knowledge — it must develop the capacity to think critically, solve problems and adapt to rapid change. In a world being reshaped by new technologies and innovations, he said, those committed to continuous learning will be best placed to succeed.

Underlining the value of collective effort, Singh said that while individual contributions matter, a united national resolve can accelerate the pace of development manifold. He urged students to see themselves as part of 'Team India', working toward the shared national goal of a developed India by 2047.

Government's Commitment to Youth

Singh assured graduates that the government would continue building an ecosystem where young people can explore, innovate, experiment, create and develop solutions for a better society. Universities, he said, must focus on shaping minds inspired by the ideals of justice, equality, liberty and fraternity — the four pillars enshrined in the Constitution's Preamble.

As India's demographic dividend peaks over the next two decades, the address signals a deliberate effort to align youth energy with constitutional values and long-term national development goals.