Graduates to be architects of Viksit Bharat, their degrees commitment to nation, says VP
New Delhi (PTI): 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.
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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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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
