Srinagar: The Kashmir University (KU) is set to commemorate academic excellence and celebrate the achievements of its students at the upcoming 20th convocation scheduled to take place on October 11 in the varsity’s Convocation Complex.
The highlight of the event will be the presence of Droupadi Murmu, President of India, who will make her maiden visit to Jammu and Kashmir as the Head of State. She will be the Chief Guest of the convocation, delivering the convocation address and presenting degrees and medals to outstanding scholars.
Lieutenant Governor Jammu and Kashmir, UT and Chancellor Kashmir University, Manoj Sinha will preside over the ceremony.
Under the provisions of the Kashmir University Act 1969, the convocation stands as a significant event to confer degrees, gold medals and certificates of merit upon deserving students and scholars. The Act prescribes the formalities and order of the academic procession.
In a statement, Kashmir University Vice Chancellor, Prof Nilofer Khan expressed her delight in hosting the momentous event on the campus, highlighting its importance in the lives of the students.
“The convocation will serve as an occasion to showcase the university’s academic & research achievements while honouring scholars from various disciplines, including science, arts, humanities, information technology, medical sciences and more,” she said.
A total of 286 gold medals, 46,812 undergraduate degrees, 5,509 postgraduate degrees, 620 MD/MS and 582 PhD and MPhil degrees will be conferred in the convocation. In the Gold Medal category, 35% are male whereas 65% are female students and out of a total of 53,523 candidates in the Degrees category, 31,577 are girl students that speak of KU’s commitment towards the contribution of women’s education and empowerment.
A defining moment of the convocation will be the formal procession, led by the Registrar and will include the Chief Guest, Droupadi Murmu, President of India, Lieutenant Governor J&K, UT & Chancellor, Kashmir University Manoj Sinha; Advisor to LG, R R Bhatnagar, Vice Chancellor, Prof Nilofer Khan, University Council Members, University Syndicate members, Deans, Academic Council members, heads of the departments and principals of affiliated and constituent colleges, all adorned in academic robes
Registrar, Kashmir University, Dr Nisar Ahmad Mir in the statement emphasised that the convocation is not just about receiving medals and certificates; it is an honour in itself for students and scholars. The academic ambiance, the sense of celebration and the joy of being part of the event is cherished by the students throughout their lives.
Kashmir University is a NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) accredited ‘A+’ university and in the current year, its NIRF ranking has gone up by 20 slots and now figures at an all-India rank of 33 among universities.
Kashmir University is the only university from Jammu and Kashmir that figures in the top 50 Universities.
The convocation traces its origins back to 1951 when the university held its first convocation at the Sher-i-Kashmir Park in Srinagar.