The much-required sweeping reforms are underway in the higher education system of India with Rs 20,000 crores having been earmarked towards research and development, said the Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar while addressing the 15th convocation of University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES) in Dehradun on Monday. Invoking the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said that he is envisioning India as the third largest human resource for Science and Technology in the world by 2030. Among others present were Governor of Uttarakhand Dr KK Paul, who is also a ‘Visitor” to the university, the Chief Minister Trivendera Singh Rawat and the State higher Education Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat.
Javadekar advised the graduating students to remain ethical in their professional lives despite the professional world becoming highly competitive. He asked them to become good human beings first and competent professionals later.
He complimented the university for undertaking funded research for various Government utilities and departments.
The Union Minister said that to stop brain drain, the Centre would reform the realms of research by providing the best infrastructure, faculty, scholarship and environment to the students. “We have sought Rs20,000 crores from the Ministry of Finance to invest in research and development and a fund of around Rs20,000 will be created through other sources for investment in higher education, especially in innovation and research, in the next three years. The good higher institutes dedicated to innovation and research will be funded adequately,” he said, adding that innovation and research are the keys to the country’s onward March.
On the occasion, 2645 students were awarded their respective degrees which included 33 PhDs, 249 Master’s in Business Administration through distance mode, 632 Post Graduate degrees, 1472 Undergraduate degrees and 156 Industry Collaborated degrees. Besides, supplementary degrees were also conferred on 103 students who could not qualify last year. While six students were awarded Gold Medals 59 students were awarded Silver Medals. Instituted Gold Medals were also given to three students. Recipients of the University Gold Medals included Neha Mehra, Ashwin G, Mohit Aggarwal, Prasansha Rastogi, Saina Kohli, Shweta Singh while recipients of Silver medals included Aayush Rastogi, Diptendu Roy, Appil Ora, Robin v. John Fernandes, Abu Taha, Sanjay P Sahil, Ayush Gupta and others.
In his keynote address, Governor Dr Paul said that the students need to be the instruments of change for achieving higher trajectory growth and for this they need to focus on “Conceptual Skill”, “Critical Thinking”, “Case Study Methodology” and “Team Building Approach”. The Governor applauded the university for its sustained efforts and contributions in disposing its Social Corporate Responsibilities.
CM Rawat in his speech said that today’s India is the world’s largest young population country where 65 per cent of its population is less than 35 years of age. Dr Dhan Singh Rawat complimented the University for installing a “Wall of Hero’s” in the campus as a tribute to all recipients of the ‘Param Veer Chakra’, an initiative of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development under the “Vidya Veer Abhiyaan”. He appreciated efforts made by the University in getting over 300 companies annually and successfully getting campus placements for approximately 90 per cent of its students for years in a row. He requested the university authorities to come forward to assist the State- run higher education institutes through the expert human resource available with them.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the chancellor, Dr SJ Chopra spoke about how UPES is rebooting engineering, management and legal education through innovative interventions and launching new initiatives towards multidisciplinary approach in the domains of energy, transportation, and infrastructure and information technology.
Utpal Ghosh, president of UPES, in his annual report shared details of the various milestones that UPES has achieved during 2016-17, including the QS ratings and ICABE accreditations for some of its courses.