New Delhi: Describing graduates as architects of the vision of a 'Viksit Bharat', Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Saturday said universities must drive research and innovation that are not just rooted in Indian realities but are also globally competitive.
Addressing the 102nd convocation of Delhi University (DU) here, the vice president noted the growing enrolment of women in higher education and said that more than 70 per cent of the gold medallists this year were women.
More than 1.2 lakh students were conferred with degrees at the convocation ceremony, where Radhakrishnan was the chief guest. The ceremony was presided over by DU Vice-Chancellor (V-C) Yogesh Singh.
Radhakrishnan said DU started with three colleges, two faculties and eight departments.
"Today, the university has grown to 16 faculties, 86 departments, 90 colleges, 20 halls and hostels, over 30 centres and institutes, 34 libraries and more than 6 lakh students," he said.
He credited the collective efforts of teachers, administrators and students for this achievement.
On the cut-throat competition for admissions to the university, the vice president said V-C Singh informed him that seats are filled without any delay and cut-offs touch 98 per cent.
Though DU is already among India's distinguished institutions, it should aim for higher global rankings, Radhakrishnan said.
"In the next two years, we should move into the top 300, then 200, then 100 and ultimately become the number one university in the world," he said, adding that students worldwide should aspire to come to Delhi.
He said the convocation is both an ending and a beginning.
In a rapidly changing world shaped by artificial intelligence, climate challenges and pressures on democracies, he said, "your degree is not just a certificate but a commitment to humanity and to the nation".
He urged students to treat learning as a lifelong process, stay away from narcotic drugs and ensure their achievements bring pride to their families, the university and the nation.
He said graduates would be the architects of the vision for a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047.
Universities must drive research, entrepreneurship and innovation that are not just rooted in Indian realities but are also globally competitive, he added.
Radhakrishnan noted that more than 70 per cent of the gold medallists this year were women and that women graduates outnumbered men. This, he said, is a sign of the country's educational progress.
According to DU, degrees were awarded to 1,20,408 students from undergraduate, postgraduate and FYUP programmes who completed their courses in 2025. Around 750 PhD scholars also received their doctorates.
A total of 132 gold and silver medals and awards were presented at the ceremony, the university said.
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