GUWAHATI, Dec 15: Meghalaya Governor, Satya Pal Malik, has underlined the need for higher education and research while beseeching students to keep striving beyond degrees for greater academic pursuits as “education empowers people.”
Addressing the sixth convocation of the University of Science and Technology-Meghalaya (USTM) at Baridua, Ri Bhoi, on Tuesday, Malik cited the examples of former President APJ Abdul Kalam and former US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, and how their education and academic pursuits took them to positions of strength and status.
“In our country, teachers and professors remain satisfied with their degrees but do not take their academic pursuits thereafter… there is very little research in our universities, which is one of the reasons why India is lagging behind when it comes to being honoured with the prestigious Nobel Prize. So it is important for you to take your education to higher levels so that your achievements are recognised,” he told the students at the convocation.
The Governor, in his brief speech, also cited examples of the country spending not more than six percent of the budget on higher education while lamenting the fact that industrialists in India are not contributing funds to higher education as much as their counterparts in foreign countries like the US or UK.
Earlier, the convocation began with a solemn academic procession led by the registrar of the university. Academic council members, members of the board of governors, deans of schools, heads of departments and professors of the university participated in the procession.
As many as 1,332 graduates were awarded degrees, of which 10 scholars were awarded PhD degrees, 925 students got postgraduate degrees while 397 students were awarded undergraduate degrees.
The University conferred the Doctor of Letters (D. Litt) degree upon The Shillong Times Editor and Padma Shri awardee, Patricia Mukhim, for her outstanding contributions in the field of education, journalism and literature.
The Doctor of Science (D.Sc) degree was awarded to Sanjay Deshmukh, former Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Life Science, and University of Mumbai for outstanding contributions in the field academic administration and promotion of science, technology and innovation.
“We aspire to become a world-class university. Hence, we appeal to all the stakeholders to join us in our endeavour to transform this university into a world-class institute and participate in the nation-building process,” USTM chancellor, Mahbubul Hoque, said in his welcome address.
Thereafter, USTM vice-chancellor, GD Sharma, presented the university report while University Grants Commission chairman, DP Singh, delivered his convocation address virtually.
Besides, the “APJ Abdul Kalam Best Postgraduate Award” was given to Rezwana Farhin from the department of Mathematics while the “PA Sangma Best Undergraduate Award” was given to Nilotpal Deka from the department of Physics.
Tezpur University vice-chancellor, Vinod Kumar Jain, and North Eastern Hill University vice-chancellor, SK Srivastava, were also present in the convocation apart from other distinguished dignitaries.