As there is no age bar and no time limit for pursuing education through the institutes of open and distant education, it is imperative that this system of education should be strengthened if the national target of increase of 30 per cent in gross enrolment ratio is be achieved, said the Governor of Uttarakhand Dr KK Paul while addressing first convocation ceremony of Uttarakhand Open University (UOU) at Haldwani on Monday.
He expressed happiness at the fact that the UAU which started with 2774 students in the year 2005 now has 35000 students.
The Governor said that local employment must be boosted so that migration from the region can be checked.
He said that the courses in the university are employment-oriented but highlighted a need for introducing more courses from time to time in order to tackle the growing menace of unemployment. Terming education as an endless journey, the governor exhorted the students to get connected with books as good books apart from increasing knowledge are helpful in enriching personal life and society.
Speaking on the occasion, the higher education minister Indira Hridayesh said that higher education develops wisdom in an individual and provides direction to the society. She said that it is heartening that the UOU has reached to every nook and corner of the state. The Minister claimed that State Government has brought about radical changes in higher education scenario of the State.
The vice chancellor (VC) of the university Professor Nageshwar Rao presented progress card of the university. He said that the university has set up an E- portal for the students and teachers in which teaching material and learning videos of more than 20 subjects have been uploaded. Rao disclosed that the university would soon start special B.Ed. course. In the ceremony degrees on 5197 students were conferred. The governor presented gold medals to 20 scholars on the occasion.
The district Panchayat member Sumitra Prasad, former Vice Chancellor H S Dhami, RC Pant District Magistrate Deepak Rawat, Senior Superintendent of Police Janmejaya Khanduri and large number of distinguished guests and students attended the ceremony.