Kovind asks students to focus on University Social Responsibility Staff Correspondent Shillong: President Ram Nath Kovind graced the 26th Convocation of North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) at the Convocation Hall, NEHU Campus, Shillong on Monday. The convocation was also attended by the Governor of Meghalaya Tathagata Roy as guest of honour, Chief Minister of Meghalaya Conrad K Sangma as special guest, Vice Chancellor of NEHU Professor SK Srivastava and a host of other dignitaries. Calling upon the stakeholders to focus on University Social Responsibility (USR), the President said, “In order to fulfil USR obligations, students of this university may spend time at some villages and also stay the night, if it is workable. They (students) should help the villagers deal with their problems.” “They may make the villagers aware about the importance of sanitation, literacy, vaccination and nutrition of children. This exposure will not only help the villagers but also make the students more aware and sensitive to ground realities,” he told the fresh graduates. Stating that NEHU had emerged as a premier centre of learning in the region, Kovind said he was happy to note that besides imparting higher education in all the major disciplines, the university was also giving special emphasis on the development of this region which has significant tribal population. He said that institutions of higher education like NEHU can be instruments of social and economic transformation and can help Meghalaya in achieving better ranking on Human Development Indices. “I feel especially happy to note that out of all medal awardees in todays convocation, as many as 76 per cent are girls. In almost all the universities where I have attended convocations, I have observed that girls have been outshining boys. This reflects our societys progress and points towards our bright future as a developed nation,” the President said. During the convocation, the President conferred the Degree of Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) to Kanubhai Hasmukhbhai Tailor in recognition of his outstanding contributions in advancing the cause of voluntary humanitarian services towards “Divyang”. The President also handed over the President of India Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma Gold medal for the year 2019 to Taba Yehi, Department of Botany in recognition of her general proficiency, Srimati Sarada Krishna Iyer Memorial Award to Pdianghun K Warjri who secured highest marks in MA Political Science Examination held in the year 2019, U Tirot Sing Memorial Prize to Dicky Christopher R Sangma of Mendipathar College who secured the highest marks in Political Science BA (Honours) Examinations in the year 2019, Professor M K Khare Memorial Prize to Mary Lalruatsangi for being the highest scorer in the MSc (Zoology) Examination for the year 2019, Rajendra Kumar Sunaheri Devi Jain Charitable Endowment Award to Neha Dutta who passed the BSc (Honours) Zoology Examination in the first class securing very high percentage of marks in the year 2019, Professor MN Karna Young Sociologist Prize to Bichano Lotha, Department of Sociology for being the highest scorer in the MA, (Sociology) Examination for the year 2019, Dr DS Babu Memorial Award to Chinchanbeni N Odyuo, Department of Education who secured highest marks in MA (Education) Examination held in 2019, U Kiang Nangbah Memorial Award for the year 2019 to Jordan Kharsyntiew, Department of Tourism & Hotel Management who has been adjudged on the basis of excellence and quality of rendering service to the people and Professor SS Khare Promising Mathematician Award to Diamond Kharkongor Department of Mathematics for being the highest scorer in the M.Sc. Mathematics Examination for the year 2019. Governor Tathagata said that as the Chief Rector of the university, he has had the opportunity to interact and deliberate with faculty members and students on various issues concerning the university to understand the challenges faced by the university in grooming the young minds in their pursuit towards a better future. “The university needs to incorporate the diversity of the needs of the society and to be relevant to the corporate world,” said the Governor and felt the need to review and restructure the curriculum to enable the students to explore different avenues that are emerging today. Conrad K Sangma in his address said that NEHU has been an educational hub to a lot of students of this region and the journey that NEHU has taken through the years has brought the difference to thousands of lives of the students who had the opportunity to study here. “Education has been a big priority for us, and as a Government we will continue to focus on providing quality education right from primary level or at higher secondary level as well as higher and technical education,” he said. At the convocation, a total of 14,502 candidates comprising of 136 PhD, 41 M.Phil. 1342 PG and 12983 Bachelors Degrees both in person and in absentia received their degrees. Also Read: President Ram Nath Kovind arrives in Meghalaya to address convocation of NEHU Also Watch: CITU staged protest rally against State Education Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya

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