New Delhi: President APJ Abdul Kalam has given a rating of ''7 out of 10'' to the Indian youth, who he says can reach the 'perfect ten' when they make India a country free of corruption, hatred and violence.
''I will say it is about 7,'' Dr Kalam told a student of the Don Bosco School, Kolkata who asked him 'how do you rate the Indian youth on global podium on a scale of 1 to 10?'
Dr Kalam, who was the chief guest at an inter-school debate organised by the Outlook magazine at the Vigyan Bhavan on Friday, said it takes a lot of hard work to reach the highest scale.
''In some of the individual disciplines, many Indians are second to none. But the rating is for the collective Indian youth,'' he said. He, however, expressed the hope that ''very soon'' Indian youth would make India achieve the number one position in global competitiveness.
"I will revise my rating to 10, when the youth make India a corruption free country, free of hatred and violence,'' the President said.
Quizzed on the acute shortage of colleges to admit millions of students who pass out of schools every year, Dr Kalam admitted the number was ''grossly inadequate''.
The government and the private sector are making efforts to reduce the gap significantly, he told a student of the Shrimati Ram Devi Shobraj Bajaj Arya Vidya Mandir, Mumbai adding the challenge then would be ensuring high quality when quantity goes up.
"What is your view on banning of books, is it not undemocratic?" asked another student. The government, Dr Kalam said, would step in to maintain harmony, decency and public order when something intentional or unintentional is written or portrayed in a way that it hurts the sensitives of fellow citizens.
''This can't be construed as an undemocratic process. This is intended for the welfare of all the constituents of the society,'' he said.
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