Convocation with a difference

• First convocation of RGUKT held at HICC
• Adopt RGUKT: Governor to TS, AP

Hyderabad: It was a convocation with a difference. About 6,000 students hailing from disadvantage families and rural areas in Andhra Pradesh have proved that there are second to none when it comes to academics. They have trooped from three IIIT campuses spread over Andhra Pradesh and Telangana into Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) on Monday to attend the first convocation of Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies (RGUKT).

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Governor ESL Narasimhan, Chancellor Prof. Raj Reddy, Vice-Chancellor RV Raja Kumar commended the performance of B Tech and M Tech students.

The university offers a six year integrated programme comprising a two-year of pre-university programme and a four-year for B Tech programme.

To make sure that the students from Zilla Parishad (ZP) schools are not put to disadvantage at mandal level, the university adds a deprivation score of four per cent to the marks of ZP school students. This was intended to reduce advantages of private educational institutions.

ESL Narasimhan urged both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments to adopt Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies (RGUKT).

He said that both the governments shouldn’t allow the university to wither away. “RGUKT requires funding from both the governments,” Narasimhan said.

He also said that it was a proud moment for him to be part of the first convocation of the university.

“We have seen green revolution and white revolution; today the university is revolutionising education. With very minimal funding so far, the varsity has achieved a lot of things and that is commendable. The way RGUKT is imparting knowledge and shaping up rural students serves as an example for other universities in the country. Based on the results at the mandal level, children are picked for the seats, and university is making them stalwarts,” the Governor said.

Narasimhan urged the governments to convert campuses of RGUKT into centres of excellence. “The university should focus more on technologies which would be of societal use. If more RGUKTs are established in both the states, education needs would be sorted out,” he added.

He slammed the private engineering college managements for threatening to shut down over fee reimbursement issue.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu lauded the university model of education.

“There is one difference between American and Indian education system; in America, it is student centric education; in India its classroom based education. With the easy access to information technology, the lacunae in teaching methods should be filled. It is need of the hour for development of skills among students,” said Babu.

“In every household, there should be a computer literate and an entrepreneur. Students should not seek jobs; instead they should generate employment,” Babu opined.

Prof. Raj Reddy recalled the services of the former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

He said that the top one per cent of Class X students from each mandal were admitted into a six-year integrated education programme. About 6,000 students were enrolled in three residential campuses of Basara, Nuzivid and RK Valley in Kadapa district.

“No other university in the country was ever started on such a grand scale. The university has started in 2008 with 6,000 students. From 2010, the intake was reduced to 3,000 students. Last year the student strength rose to 24,000 at 8,000 per campus,” said Vice-Chancellor R V Raja Kumar.

The university also awarded gold medals to 28 B Tech and two M Tech students for their excellence in academics.