Patna: Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief ChiragPaswan on Thursday urged Bihar’s youth to pursue higher education and gain professional experience outside the state before returning to contribute to its development. He said being known as ‘Chirag Bhaiya’ mattered more to him than occupying the chief minister’s chair.Addressing the party’s ‘YouthBoleTo’ programme at the Veterinary College ground in Patna, Chirag encouraged young people to complete their studies, acquire skills and experience, and then enter public life. The programme, organised under the slogan ‘Goout,learn,comebackandworkinthestate’, provided a platform for youths to share their views, concerns and suggestions.Raising concerns over examination irregularities and paper leaks, Chirag called for greater transparency in the examination system. He said students should be compensated for travel, boarding and food expenses whenever an examination is cancelled.Referring to the recent IIT Mumbai incident, he highlighted the mental stress faced by students and urged them to share their problems with family and friends instead of suffering in silence.Responding to a question on his contribution to Bihar as a Union minister, Chirag said the country’s third National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) was being established in the state. He also highlighted Bihar’s participation in the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme.Chirag further said emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, coding and digital technologies would create significant opportunities for Bihar’s youth and urged them to build skills in these areas.
