Guv exhorts graduates to become job creates

Nauni, December 7, 2021: Governor Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said that degree holders have to decide for themselves whether they want to become job creators or job providers. He appealed to the young scientists to maintain the high standards set by the university and said that they will be recognized in the country and the world as scientists who came out of this university. The Governor was speaking while presiding over the 11th convocation of Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar Horticulture and Forestry University, Nauni in Solan district on Tuesday. He conferred 665 degrees, 11 gold medals and 261 merit certificates in the convocation.

Congratulating the gold medal winners and the degree recipients, he said that the convocation was such a memorable moment, which reminds us of the future progress and special contribution of the University. He urged them to take their research work to the farming community and said that until the research does not reach the farmers practically, it has no use. 

"The convocation ceremony is like a formal celebration, where not only the students are felicitated but the university gets indebted to them. He said that this achievement was the result of the hard work of the students", said the Governor. He congratulated the teachers, non-teachers and parents of the students for their contribution. He added that their degrees were worthwhile until the benefits of their research reached the fields. “The process of learning in life does not end, but it is the beginning of new education and achieving new goals”, said Arlekar.

He exhorted the students to develop the ability to lead society and move ahead by examining the opportunity. He directed the university administration to develop a counseling center for budding entrepreneurs. The Governor said that there was a need to reduce the dependence of farmers on chemical pesticides as the cost of these pesticides was increasing every year. He was of the view that instead of chemical pesticides, efforts should be made to save fruits, vegetables etc. from pests and various diseases by using natural resources. He said that it should be our objective to produce safe food items and added that the State Government has taken steps towards becoming a natural farming State and he was confident that they would be able to achieve this goal.

The Governor said that it was a matter of satisfaction that in the Atal Innovation Ranking released by the Union Ministry of Education, the University has been placed in the top Band ‘A’ (6 to 25 rank) of all government universities in the country. It was also ranked 22nd in the ranking of Agricultural Universities of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, he added. He said that in the India Today MDRA Best University Rankings 2020 also, the University has been ranked 25th among government universities across the country. He expressed confidence that the University would continue to strive to improve its performance in the ranking parameters. 

Expressing happiness over the increasing number of girl students, he said that it was a good sign as the role of women in agriculture-horticulture and forestry was very important. While expressing contentment over the introduction of the Academic Management System by the University, he said that the University must continuously move forward on the digital front. He expressed happiness that the process of implementing remote log software for accessing e-literature has been started which would make available all the university e-literature to students and scientists at home. He urged the students to take advantage of this facility and work on writing research papers with a high impact factor. He congratulated the University for preparing a vision document for the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 and stressed the need to pay more attention to e-education and technical discussions.

The Governor released the 'Road Map and Action Plan for execution of National Education Policy 2020' and the inaugural newsletter of the Functional Foods Association of India. Earlier, the blessing message of Shri Jai Ram Thakur, Chief Minister was also displayed on the occasion.

Dr. Parvinder Kaushal, Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry honoured and welcomed the Governor and detailed various achievements and other activities of the University. He said that the University has focussed more on research activities and from the year 2020 to till date 83 research projects of Rs 48.74 crore have been sent to various agencies for financial aid out of which 16 have been approved of worth Rs 7.54 crore. 

Shri Prashant Sirkek, Registrar of the University proposed the vote of thanks. Shri H.K. Chaudhary, Vice-Chancellor, Agriculture University, Palampur, Shri Virender Kashyap, former MP, Members of the University Senate, Board of Management and Academic Council, statutory officers of the University, staff, student community, graduate and post-graduate degree holders were also present on the occasion.

DEGREE AWARDED:
Gold medals were given to 11 students and merit certificates to 261 at the convocation. In addition, 665 students obtained B.Sc. Horticulture and B.Sc. Forestry, B.Tech Biotechnology, MBA/ABM, M.Sc. Horticulture and B.Sc. Forestry and Ph.D. degrees, which include 283 boys and 382 girls. Out of 11 gold medals, 7 gold medals were won by the girls. Apart from India, degrees were also conferred on 21 foreign students.
Earlier, the Governor inaugurated a 640 KW rooftop solar plant on the University campus. He also laid the foundation stone of the main gate to be designed in a hilly structure, Yoga center and open-air theater. He also inaugurated an e-cart. The Governor also inaugurated the exhibition put up by various departments of the university. He also visited the newly inaugurated state-of-the-art Electron Microscopy lab and understood the working of the lab.