The study will be conducted by academicians working under the chair of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay, which is being set up by the University Grants Commission (UGC) at AU on the instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Pradhan, speaking as the chief guest. The AU convocation was held in the historic Senate Hall of the Arts Complex.
The minister further said that the aim of the Modi-led government at the Center is to improve the lives of the common man standing at the last rung of the society and universities can play an important role in this regard. “Research should not be limited to getting published in reputed journals or promoting academics, but should be for the betterment of the society,” Pradhan said. Pradhan also appealed to the AU authorities as well as institutions of higher studies in the country to implement employable courses as per the new National Education Policy (NEP).
He also called on experts from the AU’s Department of Sociology to conduct research on the migration of people observed in the country during the pandemic. He also appreciated the efforts of the Central Government in meeting the challenge posed by the pandemic.
“In March-April 2020, we did not have enough face masks or PPE kits in our country, and now we produce not one but two effective vaccines against coronavirus and also help many countries by providing these vaccines and that also without any preconditions, unlike China,” the minister said while lauding the effort made to tackle the pandemic in the country.
Asking academics to promote regional languages, the minister said that “the country does not hate English, but that does not mean that regional languages are neglected”. He also cited the example of various developed countries like Japan and China, which do not have English as their main language and yet have developed so much.
The minister also asked the university authorities to expedite the process of filling up the vacant teaching posts in the campus. “As the country progresses to become a world leader, AU should also play an important role in preparing its students to contribute in this direction.”
Meanwhile, Ashish Kumar Chauhan, CEO of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and Chancellor of AU, said in his address that he is “overwhelmed to be a part of AU”. He said that it is an honor for him to be the Chancellor of an institution which has contributed immensely in shaping the future of the country.
Chouhan said that he would do anything to see that this great university continues to do the same in future also. He also expressed happiness that out of 260 medals given to the students at the convocation, around 150 girls have won.
AU Vice Chancellor Prof Sangeeta Srivastava in her address spoke about the development work done at AU and its academic achievements including setting up of an incubation center in the university.
During the convocation, 10 meritorious students (both undergraduate and postgraduate) were awarded the Chancellor’s Medal including four gold, four silver and two bronze for the academic session 2018-19 and 2019-20.
About 550 researchers were awarded medals and PhD degrees to 263 toppers.
The Minister also inaugurated the Major Dhyan Chand Student Activity Center located in the Faculty of Science. Professor Srivastava inaugurated the newly constructed Chandrashekhar Azad International Hostel and Chouhan inaugurated the Gargi Girls Hostel.
Uttar Pradesh cabinet ministers Siddharthnath Singh and Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi, BJP MPs Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Keshari Devi Patel and Indian hockey coach Piyush Dubey were present on the occasion.
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