GUWAHATI:
Over 1,00,500 undergraduate students, 9800 postgraduate students, 143 Master of Philosophy (MPhil) students and 633 PhD students received their degrees and diplomas as Gauhati University (GU) observed its 29th convocation, on May 6.
Congratulating the passing-out students, Governor Jagdish Mukhi recollected the achievements and contributions of the university to the state, and said that in line with Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav the university should start “vidya daan ka amrit mahotsav” to celebrate its contribution in creating human resources of the highest standards.
In his speech, Mukhi also deliberated on the National Education Police (NEP) 2020, and the role it will play in reforming the education system of the country.
He said that in the backdrop of the NEP, GU needs to take actions to integrate technology into all levels of education in order to improve classroom processes, support teachers’ professional development, enhance educational access for disadvantaged groups and streamline educational planning, administration and management.
Mukhi said that the existing faculties of Arts, Science, Commerce, Law, Engineering, Fine Arts, Management and Technology are all likely to offer strong foundations for the radical changes that are on the pipeline in the wake of NEP. The multidisciplinary character reflected in all these departments will be an advantage to reap the dividends of NEP.
Prof KK Agarwal, chairman, the National Board of Accreditation and former vice-chancellor of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, who was the chief guest at the occasion, spoke on the potential each student has in transforming their immediate environment in the best possible way.
GU vice-chancellor Prof Pratap Jyoti Handique, while congratulating the students, said that the University has put in place the timeline for the implementation of the NEP 2020 in a phased manner.
Paying rich tributes to stalwarts such as Gopinath Bordoloi, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, Madhab Chandra Bezbaruah, Bhubaneswar Barua and Krishna Kanta Handique, among many others, who inspired the future of the university, Mukhi elaborated on the steps needed to maintain a perfect balance between the resourceful past and promising future of GU. He also lauded the University for taking the lead in fulfilling the local aspirations at the same time keeping its eyes fixed on national and global concerns to lend its helping hands.
The Governor also said that while GU has been doing well and there is a steady rise in its growth, it is important to identify the areas where there are lacunae and address these shortcomings judiciously. He, therefore, advocated for serious introspection, hard work and a strong will to address its weak areas so that the university can transform itself into a centre of excellence in academic and research areas.
The Governor also reiterated the need for the University to play the role in meeting the educational needs of the state and region and address the larger issues facing the nation and the globe.
Mukhi called upon the graduates and research scholars to use their knowledge acquired in the university to make a difference in the lives of people of the society, especially the less privileged. He also asked them to strive for excellence in their chosen fields to bring laurels to the university, state as well as nation.