‘Education must go beyond degrees… build character’: Vice-President invokes Swami Vivekananda at JNU convocation

While appreciating JNU’s “inclusive atmosphere” and its efforts to promote equity and social inclusion in student admissions and faculty recruitment, he referred to the institute’s democratic ethos. “Debate, discussion, dissent and even confrontation are essential elements of a healthy democracy,” he said while adding that such processes “must ultimately lead to a conclusion”. Once a decision is taken, he said, there must be “a collective willingness to cooperate in its implementation to ensure smooth and effective administration”.

At the event, 467 PhD graduates, including 211 female and 256 male students, were awarded their degrees.

Taking to X, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan wrote, “On the occasion of this convocation ceremony, my expectation from all the students receiving their degrees is that. You carry forward the tradition of JNU’s inclusivity, social justice, and responsibility; become the voice of the deprived, and formulate strategies to reduce inequalities.”

“Some of you reach Parliament and state assemblies to strengthen democracy, some fulfill the duty of national service in the Kartavya Bhawan, some strengthen India’s global role as strategic experts and ambassadors. Meanwhile, some lay the foundation of start-ups and unicorns through innovation and entrepreneurship, and some, by becoming writers, journalists, and thought leaders of society, guide the nation’s ideological discourse. The country expects from you an active, positive, and meaningful contribution in realising the resolve of our respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji for ‘Developed India – 2047,” he added.

Addressing the convocation, the Vice-Chancellor said the university is completely funded by the Centre and remains the most affordable university in terms of the fees it charges. Underlining that women’s participation in the JNU has increased over the years, she said, “When I took over, there were 19% women. Today, there are 27 per cent women in top leadership positions.”

The V-C said the JNU stands on 10 Ds — democracy, development, deliberation, discussion, debate, diversity, difference, dissent, decentralisation and dharma. “We have used Indian civilisational knowledge and pedagogical wisdom in all of our courses,” she said, adding that the university has put a special focus on Indian languages.

Pandit said the integration of the Indic knowledge system with its courses has made the JNU a hub of maritime and security studies. “We are calling it Project Trishul — the integration of Indic wisdom at the Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Centre for Security and Strategic Studies, Lachit Borphukan Special Centre for the Study of Hydro-strategic Architecture in Asia and Raja Rajendra Chola Centre for Maritime Studies of Bay of Bengal and Eastern Indo-Pacific,” she said.