"Students should dredge towards ‘Make in India’ using ‘Skill India’," Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' at NIT Silchar's convocation

The National Institute of Technology Silchar on Monday held its 18th convocation, with 833 students from UG and PG courses receiving degrees in its first ever virtual E convocation.

The ceremony was graced by Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ as Chief Guest, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, as the Guest of Honour; Prof. Anil D. Sahasrabudhe, Chairman AICTE as the Special Guest; Gautam N. Mehra, Chairman, Board of Governors, NIT Silchar and an alumnus Sanjay Chaudhuri, Associate Director (Scientist G), DRDO, Govt. of India.

Of the total candidates, 572 were from Under Graduate courses and 261 from Post Graduate courses. Kshitu Mehrotra, a Mechanical engineer graduate got the Gold Medal award for being the student with highest CGPA among all the BTECH branches. Five other students got Silver medal for being branch topper of their respective UG courses – Ashis Choudhury from Civil Engineering, Atmashree Ray from Computer Science engineering , Akanksha Kedia from Electrical Engineering, Rahul Raj Singh from Electronics and Communication engineering and Tinkumoni Kalita from communication and Instrument engineering.

From PG courses, Sujit T from Mechanical engineering department got the Gold medal along with 14 other students who received Silver medals.

Congratulating the students, NIT director Prof Sivaji Bandhopadhyay said that his students are filled with elements and ability to withstand any challenges in life and he hopes the passouts will bring fame and glory to the institute with their future endeavors.

Speaking on the occasion virtually, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ said that the institute is doing exemplary performance in terms of rendering quality education, which is quite evident from its ascent in NIRF and other world rankings.

Emphasizing the need of research and how the ministry is contemplating policies to generate new scope for research based education, the minister said that the government is collaborating with top worldwide universities so that education seekers of India get a level playing field to shape itself into the international standards. “We have to leap the gap between talent and research then only we will be strong enough to become an Atmanirbhar Bharat” minister said remembering the prime minister’s call of Jai Anusandhan (Hail Research).

Pokhriyal said students should dredge towards ‘Make in India’ using ‘Skill India’ and taking benefit from ‘Digital India’.

Terming the new Education Policy as “Impactful, Interactful and Inclusive”, the minister said that the policy has been made keeping a global mindset. “Students are the brand ambassador of NEP 2020. It proposes to make a Credit bank where a student’s scored credits will be stored. Students will thus get a chance of free entry and exit into the engineering courses”.

Applauding the NIT Silchar’s effort to adapt five villages – Madhutilla, Fakirtilla, Babutilla, Barkai and Ghoongor, he requested the institute to work along with the state government for the betterment of these villages, so that children of these villages also get a chance of quality education.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonwal also addressed the occasion where he, congratulating all the students, said the NIT Silchar has over the years produced quality human resource and carried research that benefited society.

The proceeding of the 18th convocation was webcasted live through the institute’s YouTube channel.