Expressing happiness over the celebration of the 46th foundation day of the Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), here today, Chief Minister, Shri Virbhadra Singh said that it was a matter of pride that the HPU was ranked 22nd in a survey adding that the most important was to build, strengthen and expand the educational institutions by working with zeal, commitment and with sense of belongingness.The Chief Minister stressed the need for discipline in the University Campus adding that the University still needs to tread far ahead to secure number one ranking in the country. All this, requires dedicated efforts by both the students and the staff of the University. He exhorted the students not to mix politics with education. Violence in the campus creates an atmosphere of insecurity and fear amongst the students, he said and adding that such mischief could be dealt strictly.
After issuing two warnings to such anti-social elements, who vitiate the academic atmosphere and destroy public property should be shown the doors forever, said the Chief Minister.“One should respect the norms of the institutions, its teachers and elders as this was a prerequisite for building a well established and strong educational institution” he said. Only those institutions grow and attain excellence where both the students and the staff remain in discipline, follow rules and regulations and abjure any type of violence, he added.The Chief Minister said that there lies more responsibility upon teachers and they should consider education as a mission and have a much bigger responsibility in shaping the future of the young brains and forming healthy societies, he said.“Good Education leads to well educative societies and educative societies leads to a stronger and Vibrant Nation”, said Shri Virbhadra Singh.Shri Virbhadra Singh said that after the formation of the State there was no look back in the field of development irrespective of different parties in power in the centre and hoped that the present Prime Minister would follow the same suit. He said that today almost all the villages in the State were having electricity, drinking water facilities, well connected roads and also the education sector has expanded a lot. Today, there were as many as 91 degree colleges in the State besides 15500 schools. Our government has been successful in opening as many as 22 degree colleges in remote and far- flung areas of the State and girls child was the main beneficiary of such institutions.
He said that the government had kept a provision of Rs 100 crore under the skill development allowance scheme for this financial year and appealed youth to adopt different trades under the scheme. He said that with the aim of promoting skills and improving employability of students, vocational education in trades like Automobiles, Retail, Security, Healthcare, Tourism and Agriculture from 9th to 12 th Class have been started. Today, even the private institutions have come forward in enhancing the skill of the youth.Referring to the State, Chief Minister said that there always existed cordial relations between different political parties no doubt their ideologies may differ to a vast extent, but as of now the trend was quite changed by few opportunists in the opposition, which was not in good taste.“We need to be one and united on all issues of development of the State and for taking the State to achieve new heights” said he. Media had always played a positive role in uniting the nation and today more responsibility lies on the media for building strong nation and society. On the occasion, the Chief Minister also honoured those students who had excelled themselves in academics and other curricular activities. He also conferred best teacher award to Prof. Laxman Singh Thakur and best researcher award to Prof. D.C. Gautam. He also conferred Best Employee award to Shri Kishori Lal, Superintendent, HPU General Administration.
The Chief Minister also released Monograph, Journals, Souvenir and bulletins published by the University besides books written by various writers and professors of the University on various fields.Former Governor of Nagaland, Dr. Ashwani Kumar, said that he remained the student of HP University and he would remain beholden to the members and Staff of this University. He said that formation days there always persisted apprehension about the suitability the University had emerged as one of the premier institution imparting quality education and had a long list of alumni who were working on esteemed positions both in private and public sectors.
He said technology and to manage adequate financial resources were major challenges before us today adding that as we had entered the world of ‘Knowledge Revolution’ and there was need to have international faculty, international syllabi besides students from other countries for rigorous coaching, interacting and teaching.Shri Jagdish Chandra, National Head ETV, said that art, tradition and culture was seen at its best in Himachal Pradesh. He congratulated the faculty of the University for maintaining the standards of education besides preservation of education, art and literature which was the identity of the people of the State. Talking about purity in Journalism, he said that the journalistic profession should be fair and independent and those involved in the profession should work with fearlessness besides maintaining the high ethos of journalism and authenticity, which no doubt would enable us to maintain purity in journalism.
Vice Chancellor, HPU Prof. ADN Bajpai, earlier honoured the Chief Minister and other distinguished guests. He detailed about the activities undertaken in the campus and thanked the Chief Minister for providing 200 bighas of land near Ghannahatti for additional campus of the University. He demanded an international level hostel for the University campus and re-employment of the retired teaching faculty for a year or two besides more power to take independent decisions.
Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rajinder Singh Chauhan, Registrar, Shri Pankaj Lalit, Member, HPU, Executive Council, Shri Chandershekhar, Director, Information and Public Relations, Dr. M.P Sood, Deputy Commissioner, Shri Dinesh Malhotra, Dean of Studies, Prof. Laxman Thakur were also present on the occasion amongst Students and staff of the University.