IIT Guwahati
A view of the virtual event. Image credit - Twitter

A total of 1,338 students received their degrees in various disciplines on Friday during the 23rd Convocation of the IIT Guwahati, which was held online.

Out of the total students, who received the degrees, four students received joint degrees with Gifu University, Japan.

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The graduating students include 649 BTech and BDes students, 175 PhD students and 518 Master degree students.

As many as 45 dual degrees have been already awarded.

Considering that the duration between previous convocation (September 2020) and the present is just above 9 months, the number of graduating students, especially PhD, is highly notable.

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Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati attracts the brightest students from the country for its Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral programmes.

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In the 27 years of its existence, more than 16,000 students have graduated from IIT Guwahati, it said.

The Institute adapted rapidly to the restrictions imposed by the Covid19 pandemic.

Online classes were held for as many as 448 courses, the assessment and grading also being completed using online methods for the ensuing semester.

Also read: QS World University Rankings 2021: IIT Guwahati ranked 41 globally in ‘Research citations per faculty’ category

Delivering the convocation address virtually, Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy, who attended the event as the chief guest, said, “The only instrument you have to remember is performance, performance leads to recognition and recognition leads to respect.”

“I hope, in 50 years from now, this country will have 70-75 years old, who have achieved their aspirational dreams. I have confidence they will create a developed India, an India that is not held back by problems of poverty, sickness, and malnourishment,” he added.

Murthy further said, “Indians will get respect for their accomplishments wherever they will go and people from other countries would want to come and study in India.”

“Let me tell you such a transformation will not be an easy task, undertake this as a responsibility, it is because of the difficulty, you will have an opportunity.”

“It will only happen, if India becomes an economic power through aspiration, discipline, good values, hard work, and sacrifice. It will only happen if India becomes a moral leader in science, technology, and medicine.

“It will only happen if India becomes the land of good and fair governance, open-mindedness, plurality, tolerance, meritocracy, and honesty.

“It will only happen if every Indian regardless of religion and economic class becomes a happy, enthusiastic, optimistic, confident, and hopeful as committed partner in this march,” added Murthy.

In its fight against the pandemic, IIT Guwahati established a Covid19 testing centre, quarantine centres, isolation centres, Covid care centres (operational presently) besides a large vaccination centre.

Throughout this period, IIT Guwahati also initiated multitude of measures to contain Covid19 cases within the campus while serving the district, state and the nation on a mission mode on various projects, thereby demonstrating its strong commitment to local, national and global problems, the statement said.

The Ph.D and Postgraduate admissions for July 2020 and December 2020 Sessions were also completed in online mode.

Short duration multiple online continuous assessments were held during regular periods. The components of evaluation and weightage were decided by instructors and announced to students at the beginning of the Semester.

Congratulating all the graduating students and presenting the Annual Report, IIT Guwahati director Prof. TG Sitharam said, “IIT Guwahati has set a goal to be recognized as one of the world’s top Institutes/Universities within the next three years.”

“IIT Guwahati is trying to leap forward by embracing the rising demands of newer and interdisciplinary areas of research and technology development by incorporating NEP 2020 policies, including industry interaction and participating in offering courses in futuristic areas, providing thrust to startup culture, entrepreneurship at all levels and creation of jobs in the Northeast,” he added.

Prof. Sitharam further said, “In a renewed drive towards collaborations, IIT Guwahati has signed MOUs with many institutes across the nation to bring together the best resources and moving from tower of excellence to network of excellence.”

Even during the pandemic, a significant number of full-time students from different countries such as Bhutan, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Nepal, Cameroon, Germany have registered for different programmes at IIT Guwahati, he informed.

Semester exchange/research internships with partner universities from IITG also happened with Japan and Canada, he said.

“A total of 14 students had outbound interactions with Kyoto University, Japan, Ecole France, Gifu University Japan, Carema Mediterranean France,” said Prof. Sitharam.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Rajiv I. Modi, chairman, Board of Governors, IIT Guwahati, said, “I want to compliment all the faculty for being open to collaborate and to assimilate new ideas. As a consequence rapid development in the academic excellence at IIT Guwahati is visible.”

Addressing the students, guest of honour Prof. Hisataka Moriwaki, president, Gifu University, Japan, said, “We successfully carved three international joint degree programs that spur and embody the true concept of globalization.”

“The joint master’s degree program, includes Science and Technology, being awarded is a test to that,” Prof. Moriwaki added.