BHU convocation — nothing colonial about it

Former President A P J Abdul Kalam would be the chief guest at the function. A total of 113 students will be awarded various prizes and medals,besides their degrees,during the convocation. “A decision in this regard was taken after the director,senior faculty members and others associated with the Institute suggested that the new IIT should introduce new traditions that suited our indigenous sensibilities,” said Chairman (Press,Publication and Publicity Cell),Prof Ravi Pratap Singh. Previously Institute of Technology,BHU,the university received the status of IIT only last year.

Dean (Academic Affairs),IIT-BHU,Prof Surendra Kumar said: “The traditional system of wearing gowns is a relic from the colonial era. This is our institute’s first convocation and,therefore,we wanted to break away from this tradition,which holds little relevance today. Also,the traditional Indian dress leaves us with better aesthetic experience.”

Asked whether there would be other changes in the convocation ceremony,Prof Kumar said other things would remain as they were. Usually,during such events,the “convocation procession”,led by the chief guest,enters the hall accompanied by drum beats and everybody is supposed to remain standing until the chief guest takes seat. This process is repeated when the chief guest leaves.

In the past couple of years,there has been a growing clamour for doing away with traditional ceremonial gowns with some institutes,such as Utkal University in Odisha,having already done it. The Berhampur University in Odisha had done away with the ceremonial hood though it had kept the gowns.

In 2010,Union Minister Jairam Ramesh,during convocation of the Indian Institute of Forest Management in Bhopal,had famously refused to don the gown saying it was colonial.