1,419 degrees awarded at PU convocation

LAHORE : At the Punjab University’s 127th convocation, 131 PhD, 478 MPhil/MS, 325 Master’s and 217 undergraduate degrees and 331 medals were distributed among the students here on Saturday.

As many as 85 medals were distributed among the undergraduate students, 68 among master’s students and 115 medals were distributed among MPhil/MS students. A total of 1,419 degrees and medals were distributed in the convocation.

A visually-impaired girl student, Zoya Kaleem, won a gold medal by securing top position in BS (Honors) political science. An Iranian girl student, Farzaneh Fouladgar, obtained her PhD degree in clinical psychology. Husnain Javed and Ms Warda Fatma, who are husband and wife, received their PhD degrees in microbiology and molecular genetics. Two sisters, Asmat Zohra and Hajira Rehman, received their PhD degrees in chemistry. Two sisters, Sumaya and Hafsa, received gold medals in MA elementary education.

Addressing the convocation held at Faisal Auditorium, Vice-Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmad Akhtar said this was the age of competition. The students must equip themselves with knowledge, skills and moral values for the development of the country, he added.

He said that in the last six months, the curriculum of almost all the academic programmes of the university had been updated according to the modern needs. He said that PU’s Asian ranking had improved 39 times in just four months due to day and night efforts of the PU administration and teachers. He said that PU was now among top 39 per cent universities of the world which made rapid progress in 2018. He said that in the first quarter of 2019, PU would make practical efforts to establish a medical college and teaching hospital.

He said that the administration would also fund latest academic programmes in bioengineering, bio-fuels, etc, and extend full support to the departments concerned in this regard. He said that PU administration had ensured good governance.

He said that the administration had implemented merit, transparency, honesty, rule of law and impartiality in all the academic affairs of the university and no compromise was being made in this regard. He said that the administration had regulated all the statutory bodies of the university and organised meeting of Senate, which was held after eleven years. He said that the university was also focusing on faculty development.

The PU VC said the teachers who had got admission in top universities of the world were being awarded with scholarships.

He said that in the 136 years history of the university, the first central meeting of alumni was held due to the efforts of the administration. He said the PU was a great institution which had produced prime ministers of Pakistan and Indian premier I.K. Gujral, presidents, Nobel laureates and a large number of personalities in all the fields of life. He said PU was the only institution in Pakistan which was providing the most affordable and quality education in the country.

The VC distributed degrees and medals among the students.

University of Okara VC Prof Dr Muhammad Zakria Zakar, University of Baltistan VC Prof Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan, Registrar Dr Muhammad Khalid Khan, Acting Controller of Examinations Muhammad Rauf Nawaz, Additional Controller of Examinations Raja Shahid Javed, PU Academic Staff Association President Dr Mahboob Hussain, deans of various faculties, members of the syndicate & Senate, heads of institutions, faculty members, people from various walks of life and a large number of students and their parents were also present.