Bhopal's VIT Convocation Highlights Education’s Role In Development

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The 40th convocation ceremony of Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) underscored the critical role of education in shaping India’s future.

Addressing the gathering, VIT chancellor Dr G Viswanathan emphasised that enhancing higher education is essential to transform India into a developed nation by 2047.

A total of 11,563 students graduated, including 8,310 undergraduates, 2,802 postgraduates and 451 Ph.D. awardees, while 68 students received gold medals. Supreme Court Justice R Mahadevan, the chief guest, lauded VIT’s use of modern technology and commitment to uplift underprivileged students. He urged graduates to uphold values, discipline and lifelong learning to become ethical leaders.

Dr Viswanathan reiterated the long-standing demand to raise education funding to 6% of India’s GDP, highlighting that only 3% is currently spent. He cautioned against corruption, tax evasion and black money, calling them national diseases that students must help eradicate. He also noted that Indian universities must strive for higher global rankings, with VIT already among the top 500.

The ceremony also witnessed the inauguration of hostels named after Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, marking a day of celebration and inspiration for graduates.