President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday said India should regain its position of providing leadership in higher education and reverse the trend of migration for higher studies.Applauding the Lovely Professional University (LPU) for encouraging foreign students from a number of countries to study on its campus, he said the trend of a large number of Indian students going abroad for higher studies should be reversed."A large number of Indian students go abroad for studies... Let there be a reverse migration," Mukherjee said, addressing the eighth convocation of the LPU at its Phagwara campus near here.LPU, a leading private university which has students from all 29 states and 50 countries, conferred a honoris causa doctorate degree upon President Mukherjee."International students at LPU are ambassadors of carrying Indian culture and values to their own countries when they go back," Mukherjee said.
The President regretted that no Indian university was in the top 200 ranking globally but added that many universities were working hard in this direction. He emphasised the need to provide quality education and improving research standards in universities in India.Mukherjee bestowed Ph.D degrees, 38 gold medals and 164 awards on meritorious LPU students for their outstanding academic and research performances.The President also inaugurated the largest convention centre of India 'Unipolis' at LPU campus. The centre can cater to more than 30,000 people.LPU Chancellor Ashok Mittal said: "LPU has constantly added value by incorporating the best practical and technical practices in the curriculum to bridge the gap between education through books and the realities of the outside world, so the students are fully equipped to deliver their best."We are confident that our students will be able to meet all the challenges faced by them. It is our constant effort that we create future professionals who will strive to bring about a positive change in this world."