President Pranab Mukherjee today said the demographic dividend would be an empty dream if the present educational standards are not upgraded. He said, country's youth will end up contributing less to nation-building unless they are imparted quality education and requisite skills.

Mr Mukherjee was addressing a meeting of the Directors of Indian Institute of Science, and Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Pointing out that the number of central institutions nearly doubled from 55 to 106 during the Eleventh Plan period, the President expressed concern over the quality of education.