The College of Home Science at PAU, held its convocation and prize distribution function in the Pal auditorium on Thursday. Dr Satinder Bajaj, Vice-Chancellor, EIILM University, Sikkim, was the chief guest on the occasion. In her address, Dr Bajaj said that with ideal combination of knowledge and selected skill sets, home science education trained individuals to successfully face the emerging challenges of the changing times. She said that it adequately prepared individuals for harmonious living by putting to use the imbibed scientific and technical knowledge that caters to the needs of all the members of a family in a befitting manner. She said that home science offered a range of diversified job avenues and career opportunities for graduating students in government/non-government, industrial and the service sector, adding that the multi-faceted education was now being valued as more and more business houses were taking up corporate social responsibilities. Dr Bajaj informed that to cope with the emerging needs, home science curriculum in the country had been modified to inculcate entrepreneurial skills for self employment and increase students’ competence to work in a private sector. She said that modified curriculum included new courses like convenience and health foods, fashion merchandising, apparel industry management, functional interiors for special needs etc. Delving on carrying the vision forward, Dr Bajaj said that field of education was now considered an industry and had become extremely competitive. The emphasis should be job creation rather than job seeking. Our research needs to be geared towards issues stressing the society today, said she. She congratulated the graduating and award-winning students advising them to exercise the knowledge gained from PAU in their real life. Dr Neelam Grewal, Dean, College of Home Science, presented a welcome address and report of various activities of the college. She said that the College students Ruchu Katyal, Inna Batra and Monika Chaudhary had won university gold medals in recognition of their having secured highest OCPA in the B.Sc. Home Science (Hons.) programme completed in the years 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08, respectively. Merit certificates were awarded to eight students namely Jasmine Jain, Nidhi Goyal, Ruchu Katyal, Shivali Mittal, Vyoma Aggarwal, Inna Batra, Monika Chaudhary and Prabhleen Kaur. The students securing first, second and third positions during different years of graduation programme were also awarded while Jasdeep Kaur and Vyoma Aggarwal were declared the overall best students having qualified for P.N.Thapar Gold Medal for 2005 and 2006, respectively. Dr. Manjit Singh Kang, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, who presided over the event, gave away the degrees, diplomas and prizes. Syed Afzal Haider, former Law Minister of Pakistan and presently judge of the Shariat Court, Pakistan, was the guest of honour. In his remarks, Haider Said that he had come with a message of love, peace and amity. He congratulated the students who received degrees, diplomas and awards asking them to work for the betterment of society.He said that the society progressed where women are given due respect. He stressed that success of men lay in the efforts of women who play a helping hand as a mother, a wife, a daughter, etc. On the occasion, Iqbal Kaur Randhawa, wife of former PAU Vice-Chancellor, Dr MS Randhawa, an art connoisseur and naturalist, was also honoured.
