As many as 6000
diploma, under graduate, post graduate and doctoral students in various
disciplines from the Faculties of Engineering and Technology, Science and Humanities,
Medical and Health Sciences and Management received their degrees. About 185
students were presented Gold, Silver and Bronze medals for their academic
achievements.
“Higher education in India is passing through a phase of
unprecedented expansion, marked by an explosion in the volume of students, a
substantial expansion in the number of institutions and a quantum jump in the
level of public funding. The enormity of the challenge of providing equal
opportunities for quality higher education to ever-growing number of students
is also a historic opportunity for correcting sectoral and social imbalances,
reinvigorating institutions, creating new benchmarks of excellence and extending
the frontiers of knowledge”, the Vice President said.
“By education, I mean an all-round drawing of the best in
child and man in body, mind and spirit”, said the Father of the Nation, Mahatma
Gandhi. He also said: “Education which does not mould character is absolutely
worthless”. As the Mahatma had rightly emphasized character is the most
important quality for an individual to chart out the right path. Otherwise,
despite having the privilege of getting educated in one of the best educational
institutions, there is a danger of the individual going astray. The great Tamil
poet and philospher, Thiruvallur said: “An uneducated person is like a barren
land. His life is empty and useless”, he remarked.
The Vice President maintained that education is more
important for enlightenment and empowerment but the vision of education is to
realize a greater access to people especially the vulnerable sections. And at a
time when multi-tasking has become very important to meet then global
competition, it has become imperative for teachers to update their knowledge
and quickly learn Information and Communication Technology. “The new ideas and curricula
must be relevant to the digital age. Everything must be on line; or you will be
standing in the line”, Mr. Naidu remarked.
Convocation is an important milestone not only for the
student but also the institution and SRM University has carved out a
distinctive place in higher education by its academic distinction, the Governor
of Tamil Nadu, Mr. Banwarilal Purohit said. “Tamil Nadu is a frontline state in
higher education with an array of specializations and if people are making a
beeline to this state it is because of the quality of education”, he remarked
going on to say that studies should reflect flexibility, not rigidity and
diversity promoted unity.
“A University is not only for knowledge but also for
research. Extra efforts must be made to improve the quality of knowledge. There
has to be a periodical self evaluation and a road map towards global ranking”,
the Governor said in his Special Address.
Speaking before the Governor, Tamil Nadu’s Minister for
Higher Education Mr. K.P. Anbalagan said that focus on higher education by the
former Chief Minister Dr. Jayalalithaa for quality and inclusiveness gave Tamil
Nadu a high standing nationally with 24 of the top 100 institutions nationally
in the state; and the good work in higher education is being continued by the
present Chief Minister. The gross enrollment ratio in India was 24.5, it was
44.3 in Tamil Nadu with female GER pegged at 42.4 in Tamil Nadu as opposed to
23.6 nationally, and the Minister maintained going to say that SRM University
imparts very good education and is considered as one of the top private
universities.
In his welcome address the Founder Chancellor of SRM Group
of Institutions, Dr. T.R. Paari Vendhar referred to the Vice President as a
pride of South India and the hope of future India. “You are very special, by
your elegant speech, punning upon words, with the thrust on morality,
commitment and patriotism… you rose yourself from a farmer’s family to this
level, by your hard work and devotion to duty. You are the pride of South
India, and a hope for future India”, the Founder Chancellor said.
Dr. Paarivendhar pointed out that out of 784 Universities in
India only 150 were multi-disciplinary with SRM University in a Number 1
ranking. The institution has many national and international achievements such
as successfully placing in orbit a satellite in 2011 to study water vapour and
carbon dioxide and still tracked through a ground station established at the
University campus. “Quite recently we were awarded a “four star” award by QS
(Quacquarelli Symonds Limited) an international rating agency. Only 2
universities from India and 50 world-wide can boast of this” the Founder
Chancellor said.
“Finally I can’t stop mentioning
about the sentiment of this university. Whoever addresses the graduands of this
university, the next level of hierarchy I am sure awaits them sooner or later.
This happened to our present Prime Minister, past President Mrs.Pratiba Patel,
same for your goodself too” Dr. Paarivendhar said.
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