Governor Urmila Singh said that youth were the most vibrant and dynamic segment of our population and they should contribute towards the welfare of the society as responsible citizens.The Governor was addressing the 2nd Annual Convocation of the Himachal Pradesh Central University (H.P.C.U) organized at the Shahpur complex in Kangra district today. She said that women had been excelling in all the fields and she was happy to see that a large numbers of girl students were the recipients of the medals and degrees in the convocation. She congratulated all the meritorious students who were conferred with the degrees and their parents for their achievement.Urmila Singh said that Shri Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India, had always remained a source of inspiration for the educated and his guidance and farsightedness had helped the students throughout the country. She said that his experience and advice would also not only help the higher educational institutes to progress but would leave unlasting impression amongst the intellectuals at international level also.
The Governor said that any institution in its budding stage has lot of responsibility as it plays an important role in instilling moral values and high standards amongst the students and the faculty members. She lauded the efforts of HPCU for fulfilling the aspirations of the people in higher education sector.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Shri Virbhadra Singh said that it was momentous occasion for Himachal Pradesh that Shri Pranab Mukherjee spared his valuable moments for the students and faculty of the Central University.He said that establishment of the Central University had been a long cherished dream of the people of Himachal Pradesh and the State government was committed to facilitate the development and growth of this University as a Centre of Excellence in higher education.The Chief Minister said that this University had been able to materialize the ambitious objective of providing quality education. The University had a great responsibility in promoting and preserving the State's traditional art and culture besides nurturing students in different modern disciplines. He expressed happiness that the university had also received a Chair for Tribal Studies and another Centre for Preservation of Pahari Art, Language and Culture was soon going to start.
He said promoting excellence in higher education in the global context is the need of hour. We needed to prepare young generation to face challenges of market forces and also strengthen our culture and civilization. It is with this objective in mind that State government had been laying great emphasis on the education sector. He said that the new initiative of State Government to put in place a Centrally Sponsored Scheme Rashtriya Uchattar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) would go a long way in improving the quality of higher education, equity and access to the under privileged sections of society in the State.
Virbhadra Singh said that the State Government had submitted an ambitious Higher Education Plan amounting to Rs. 956 crores to the Government of India under RUSA. Financial support had also been sought from Ministry of Rural Development (MHRD) for faculty support, infrastructure grants to all Government Colleges including Sanskrit, Government Aided College, H.P University Shimla and Technical University, Hamirpur. The State had also proposed opening of two Model Colleges in Educationally Backward Districts of Sirmaur and Chamba. One Engineering college had been proposed for District Kangra and three colleges would also be upgraded as Model Colleges in Sirmaur, Chamba and Kinnaur districts.He congratulated Dr. Vijay Kelkar for having being conferred the Honorary Degree in this convocation. He also congratulated the medal winners and degree recipients and their parents for their achievement.Union Minister Smt. Chandresh Kumari, Speaker H.P.Vidhan Sabha, Shri Brij Bihari Lal Butail, Urban Development Minister, Shri Sudhir Sharma, Viplov Thakur and Shri Rajan Sushant MP's, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Shri Neeraj Bharti, MLA Smt Sarween Choudhary, Chancellor of the University, Shri Arun Maira, Chief Secretary Shri P. Mitra, Director General of Police Shri Sanjay Kumar, Vice Chancellor Professor Furqan Qamar, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Members of the Statutory Bodies, Vice Chancellors of other universities, Deans and Members of the Faculty and Staff were present on the occasion.