New Delhi: Addressing the 17th convocation ceremony of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University at its Dwarka campus on Friday, lieutenant governor V K Saxena reaffirmed that higher education remained a top priority for Delhi govt.
Saxena highlighted the Rs 500-crore allocation in this year’s budget for the upcoming educational hub in Narela as a testament to this commitment. “Delhi is now in safe hands,” he assured the audience.
As the chancellor of the university, Saxena emphasised the growing role of women in higher education, calling it a sign of the evolving educational and political landscape in India. He noted that women were receiving a significant share of degrees, especially doctorates. “This is particularly meaningful in Delhi, where both chief minister and leader of the opposition are women,” he added.
A total of 24,446 degrees were awarded during the ceremony, including 21,222 undergraduate, 3,112 postgraduate, 12 MPhil and over 100 PhD degrees.
Chief minister Rekha Gupta reaffirmed that improving Delhi’s education system remained a key focus of her govt. Stating that Viksit Bharat is not solely govt’s task, she said, “Each citizen must contribute, however small their effort may seem. That, too, is a form of patriotism. If all 140 crore citizens take one step forward each day, the nation will collectively move 140 crore steps forward.”
Echoing this sentiment, education minister Ashish Sood encouraged graduates to embrace sustainability and artificial intelligence to help drive the nation forward. “There are more girls graduating today than boys—a proud moment for all of us,” Sood said.
Vice-chancellor Mahesh Verma reflected on the university’s journey over the past 25 years, saying, “GGSIPU has grown beyond being just an academic institution—it has become a movement of empowerment and inspiration.”
The convocation also celebrated the achievements of women, who outperformed their male counterparts in key categories. Of the 110 PhD recipients, 75 were women, as were 49 out of 73 medal winners. University special medals were also awarded to women.
