MJP Rohilkhand University’s 24th Convocation Held with Great Fanfare
Bareilly: The 24th convocation of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, was held on Tuesday as a state event. Chancellor Anandiben Patel presided over the ceremony online from Raj Bhavan, while Vice-Chancellor Professor K.P. Singh hosted the proceedings on campus.
The chief guest for the occasion was Dr. Rakesh Kumar, former Joint Secretary in the Union Health Ministry, former Chairman of the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission, and former Chief Advisor at UNDP India. Professor P.B. Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Shukdevanand University, Shahjahanpur, attended as guest of honour, while Bareilly MP Chhatrapal Gangwar lent further weight to the event as the guest of distinction.
The ceremony began with the Chancellor unveiling, online, a statue of Swami Vivekananda at the “Yuva Prerna Sthal” near the Swarna Jayanti Gate. This was followed by the inauguration of the renovated Faculty of Agriculture and Technology, built under the PM-USHA (PM Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan) scheme. Certificates were also distributed as part of the HPV vaccination drive conducted in association with the district administration.
The chief guest, guest of honour, and members of the Executive and Academic Councils then proceeded in a formal procession to the convocation venue, Atal Auditorium. After the singing of “Vande Mataram” and the university anthem, the Chancellor formally declared the convocation open.
Vice-Chancellor’s welcome address and university achievements
In his welcome address, Vice-Chancellor Professor K.P. Singh presented the university’s annual report, noting that the institution holds an “A++” grade from NAAC and “Category-1” status from the UGC. Over the past five decades, he said, the university has made significant strides in research and innovation. A Directorate of Research has been set up to promote research work, under which nearly 1,000 students are currently receiving full scholarships. He also noted that, keeping pace with the AI era, the university has launched a B.Tech (AI) programme in line with both current needs and the National Education Policy.
Degrees and medals conferred
A total of 1,00,631 students received degrees at the convocation, with the option to have their degrees uploaded to DigiLocker. Of those who received degrees, 62% were women and 38% men. The highlight of the ceremony was the conferring of 85 gold medals — 71 to women students and 14 to men — with all gold medallists felicitated on stage.
Honorary degree and teacher recognition
Mohammad Islam Ahmed was conferred an honorary D.Litt. degree for his outstanding and invaluable contribution to the traditional craft of Jaipuri lac bangle-making.
The Chancellor also presented the “Best Teacher Award” to two faculty members: Professor Vinay Rishiwal, Dean of Student Welfare and Head of the CSIT Department at the university campus, and Dr. Sachin Kumar from the constituent college at Mirapur Bangar, Bijnor.
Addresses by dignitaries
MP Chhatrapal Gangwar, addressing the graduates, congratulated all degree and medal recipients and said that their real test begins now, in society. “The time has come,” he said, “to use your education to uplift the weaker and underprivileged sections of society.” He expressed happiness at the university’s progress, commending the Vice-Chancellor, faculty and staff, and noted that the presence of international students on campus further enhances the university’s standing.
Chief guest Dr. Rakesh Kumar, in his convocation address, said the university has launched courses aligned with both the National Education Policy and the needs of industry and society. “NAAC’s A++ grade and UGC’s Category-1 status,” he said, “show that this university has firmly established its identity at both the national and international level.” Addressing the students directly, he said, “Today, an important chapter of your life is coming to a close, and a new one is beginning. Live by the principle — come to learn, go forth to serve.” He described a positive attitude as accounting for 85 percent of success, and also praised the HPV vaccination campaign.
Chancellor’s presidential address
In her presidential address, Chancellor Anandiben Patel said it was a matter of pride that the majority of gold medallists were women, reflecting how girls are consistently forging ahead in education and research. She added that equal opportunities must also be ensured for children from rural areas.
She praised the HPV vaccination drive, calling it a vital initiative for women’s health that deserves wider public awareness campaigns. Commending the DigiLocker-based degree distribution system, she said the model should be adopted by other universities as well, suggesting a meeting could be convened at Raj Bhavan for this purpose.
Emphasising youth entrepreneurship, she said, “India is a country of the young, and young people should be encouraged toward startups and self-employment.” Citing the recent launch of the “Vikram Van” satellite, she praised the strength and capability of the country’s youth. Referring to the Commonwealth Games, she noted the need to expand sports infrastructure in rural areas ahead of the next Games, to be held in Gujarat in 2030, and mentioned the ₹36,441 crore approved under the Khelo India scheme through 2036.
She concluded by congratulating all medal and degree recipients along with their parents, and directed that areas of the university still needing improvement be addressed promptly.
Community outreach
On the occasion, three children from schools in villages adopted by the university were felicitated for winning various competitions. Ten Anganwadi workers were given “Anganwadi kits,” and two primary school headteachers received books sent from Raj Bhavan.
Closing and vote of thanks
At the close of the ceremony, Vice-Chancellor Professor K.P. Singh honoured the chief guest and other distinguished guests with shawls and mementoes. The event was attended by all deans, heads of departments, faculty members, officers and staff of the university, along with a large number of students and their parents.
Report by Akhilesh Chandra Saxena, Bareilly
