By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 30: A total of 250 degrees, including 153 B.Tech, 36 M.Sc, 24 M.Tech, and 37 PhD were conferred during the 12th Convocation of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Meghalaya, held on Thursday at the institute’s permanent campus in Sohra (Cherrapunjee).
The event marked an important milestone in NIT Meghalaya’s pursuit of academic excellence, research advancement, and social responsibility.
The convocation was graced by Shrikant M Vaidya, former Chairman of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., as the chief guest, and Prof Dhirendra Nath Buragohain, Founder Director and Emeritus Professor of IIT Guwahati, as the guest of honour.
The ceremony was presided over by Sunil Alagh, Chairman of the Board of Governors of NIT Meghalaya.
Fifteen students, including three female scholars, received Gold Medals and Institute Awards for outstanding academic performance. As per the official convocation records, the President’s Gold Medal was awarded to Parthiv Das (CSE), while Shubhavi Kukreja received the Chairperson’s Gold Medal. Three Institute Gold Medallists and ten Silver Medallists were also recognised.
Delivering the Convocation Address, Vaidya urged the graduating students to pursue excellence with integrity and purpose, stressing that “true leadership begins with service and conviction — not hierarchy.” Buragohain encouraged the graduates to believe in themselves and contribute to a self-reliant India, remarking that “discipline and quality consciousness are the foundations of progress.”
In his presidential address, Alagh commended the institute’s rising academic reputation, citing its placement in the 1201-1500 band of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 and 83rd position in the NIRF 2025 Engineering category. He highlighted the institute’s expanding research initiatives, collaborations, and its emphasis on empowering women in STEM fields.
Presenting the annual report, Director Prof Pinakeswar Mahanta outlined NIT Meghalaya’s recent academic and infrastructural strides. He announced the introduction of new programmes such as MCA and M.Tech in Environmental Engineering, and the initiation of three B.Tech courses in collaboration with NPTI Guwahati. The institute also inaugurated several advanced facilities, including the Central Instrumentation Facility, Semiconductor Packaging and Testing Lab, and Design Incubation Centre.
Mahanta shared that 109 companies participated in the 2024-25 placement drive, achieving 64.7% placements, with the highest offer at ₹52 lakh per annum and an average package of ₹11.75 lakh. About 25% of students have opted for higher studies in India and abroad.
Among the institutional achievements, NIT Meghalaya received the Mahatma Award for Academic Excellence 2025, collaborated with PTB Germany and Technische Universität Ilmenau, and saw two of its faculty members named among the world’s top 2% scientists by Stanford University.
Continuing its social commitment, the institute serves as the Regional Coordinating Institute for Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, working with five adopted villages in Sohra. The newly established Sitimon Sawian Centre for Inclusive Education promotes assistive technologies for differently-abled individuals, including Braille-based digital devices developed with Dot Pad Inc., South Korea.
The convocation concluded with the administration of the graduates’ oath and the National Anthem, as faculty, parents, and alumni joined in celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2025.
