Ravenshaw University on Tuesday made a strong pitch for accordance of Central University status to it. With Union Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) M M Pallam Raju attending the sixth convocation of the institution, Vice- Chancellor Prof B C Tripathy pressed the demand, stating Odisha has only one at Koraput, while other States had several.
The 146-year-old institution, which had reached the height of academic excellence in its glory days, has all the credentials to be upgraded to the Central University. The elevation will not only draw more funds from the Centre and the UGC, but also attract better talent.
Infrastructure and academic activities will get a huge boost once Ravenshaw is converted into a Central University.
Ravenshaw will have permeable boundaries, encouraging interdisciplinary research and teaching, fostering partnerships and collaborations.
“We urge both the Centre and the State governments to take necessary steps in this regard”, Prof Tripathy said.
Addressing the convocation, the Union Minister stressed on strengthening higher education and ensuring access to quality education for all.
While moving towards universalisation of secondary and higher education, the focus is on establishing and expanding premier institutions of higher learning.
“In the 11th Five year Plan, 16 Central Universities, seven IIMs, eight IITs, 10 NITs, five IISERs and two SPAs were established to give a fillip to higher education. During the 12th Plan, they will be consolidated and complemented with more such institutions. It is proposed to create additional enrolment capacity of 10 million students, including one million in open and distance learning in these five years”, Raju said.
He Underlined the importance of making education inclusive, linking not only with business and industry, but also the community so as to ensure the development and the growing opportunities are available to all sections.
Community participation should be made an integral part of the process.
Around 200 community colleges are being established in the country that would have a mix of academic and vocational in their curriculum and local community involvement in the academic and administrative boards.
Governor and Chancellor S C Jamir conferred Honoris Causa on eminent educationist Devendra Chandra Misra, linguist Debi Prasanna Pattanayak, writer Sitakant Mahapatra and academician, Odissi danseuse Priyambada Mohanty Hejmadi on the occasion. Eminent classical singer Raghunath Panigrahi was bestowed in absentia.
The batch of 2012 comprising 2,475 graduates passed out along with 18 Ph.D. scholars obtaining their doctorates.
Jamir presented gold medals to 59 students, including 42 girls, who had topped their respective streams and classes.