He said, "The base line of literacy in 1947 was 12 percent. It reached 74 percent in 2011 and is still below the
global average of 84 percent. The Right to Education as a Fundamental
Rights has certainly enhanced enrolment but is yet to translate itself into
quality education."
Mr. Ansari was delivering the Convocation Address at the Aligarh Muslim
University's 61st Annual Convocation. He pointed out that in view of
students' inability to imbibe college and university learning, mediocrity
prevailed with both the teachers and the taught wallowing in it. Its impact
is reflected in the various employability assessments in public domain as
also in the modest quantity of scientific research emanating from
institutions of higher education and research. He said, "Our universities
have been converted into degree awarding machines for the benefit of youth
who do not receive sufficient guidance on career options at the school
leaving stage and therefore drift through a degree course aimlessly".
He called upon teachers and students to eschew mediocrity for excellence
and pursue it in curricular and extra-curricular fields. He said, "We are
living in a highly competitive global knowledge society with receding
horizons in which mediocrity means irrelevance".
The Vice President of India cautioned that a younger generation, confident
and assertive had emerged to seek right to equality and its share in
decision making. He said that different studies including the Sachar Report
suggested there was a gap between the Muslims and others in some important
fields and this "gap needed to be bridged at the earliest".
Mr. Ansari felt our society had a lot to do to ensure gender parity and the
onus lied on the youth to eliminate "structured disempowerment" by helping
realising the 21st century targets of gender parity, which entailed equal
opportunity to women in educational and economic emancipation.
Mr. Ansari urged the Aligarh Muslim University to take up reform in "social
customs without transgressing basic values". He said that this institution
had played a pioneering role in the field of Muslim women education
beginning from the year 1906.
Mr. Hamid Ansari also pointed out state's responsibility to maintain the
pluralistic character of society and secular polity. He said, "Ours is a
plural society, a secular polity, and a state structure that is democratic
and based on Rule of Law. Plurality is thus an existential reality. We
steer clear of notions of assimilation and adaptation, philosophically and
in practice."
He emphasized the need for integration of minds and hearts as an ongoing
national priority. "By the same token", he said, "every citizen has to
contribute to it. Segregation, seclusion or self-imposed isolation is
un-civic and a transgression of the spirit of a plural society".
He said that this imposes obligations on the state to promote equal
treatment. This is enshrined in our Constitution, however, the challenge is
to universalise and deepen its implementation.
Expressing a deep sense of gratitude on conferring D. Litt., honoris causa,
on him, the Uttarakhand Governor, Dr. Aziz Qureshi said that it was the
"best honour" in his life and the degree added a lustre to his career.
Paying rich tributes to Sir Syed, Dr. Qureshi said that he bowed his head to
his memory for the services he rendered in upliftment of Muslim Community
and bringing them out of darkness. The Muslims of India would have remained
confined to the Class III and IV positions in services without his
leadership.
Dr. Qureshi also acknowledged the efforts of the Vice Chancellor, Lt. Gen.
(Retd.) Zameer Uddin Shah in maintaining discipline in the campus and
upgrading the quality and standard of teaching and research in the
University. He said that the Vice Chancellor deserved all praise for his
sincerity.
Dr. Aziz Qureshi also thanked the team of AMU doctors which rendered
services during the strife after natural calamity in June 2013. He said, "The
people and Government of Uttrakhand and myself shall ever remain grateful
to them".
Referring to the restoration of R.D. Estate, a valuable property of AMU in
Ranikhet, the Governor said that he has already initiated action and took
up the matter and hopes to get the needful done at the earliest so that the
AMU would be having the wonderful place from the point of tourism.
The other recipient of honoris causa degree, Mr. Yusuffali M.A., an Indian
origin highly distinguished entrepreneur of UAE, felt humbled by the award
of D. Litt. degree on him. He paid his respects to Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and
said that he was one of the architects of modern educated India who thought
for the future generations.
Mr. Ali urged the students to work hard to attain excellence in their
higher studies and not consider their parents outdated or illiterate. He
said that we should never treat them with contempt or with a business like
attitude. This will be a ladder to success.
Mr. Ali announced a donation of Rs. 5 crore for the construction of a
sports complex for female students in the name of his mother. He has
already donated a separate sum of Rs. 5 Crore for boys' sports complex.
Presenting the annual report of the University, AMU Vice Chancellor, Lt.
Gen. (Retd.) Zameer Uddin Shah highlighted the significant points of his
Vision Document for the University for 2020. He reiterated his resolve to
take the University to number one position among Indian universities by
2017 and secure a rank for it among 200 universities of the world by 2020.
He said that AMU will become a brand name by then while preserving its
Tehzib and unique traditions at the same time. He said that the
INDCAT/INFLIBNET, the largest detabse of Indian universities has placed AMU
as 5th among 25 largest doctoral thesis producing universities of India.
Gen. Shah said that the AMU has launched an innovative and historic
one-year "bridge course" for Madrasa graduates to equip them to qualify in
entrance examinations for various courses in AMU.
He mentioned that Prof. S. M. Hadi of Department of Biochemistry, Faculty
of Life Sciences is the most cited scientist of the University, while
several other teachers have also brought laurels to the University by
garnering awards and honours received in the country and abroad.
Gen. Shah said that the University has restored the Moinuddin Art Gallery
after a long period of time and it has become an epicentre of fine arts.
Quranic Centre is also giving impetus to the art of calligraphy. Besides,
the University has established a full-fledged Training and Placement Office
to facilitate our students with job placements. He said that during the
last two years 78 companies visited the University and selected 1141
students from other than Engineering and Medicine faculties, got selected.
Similarly, 467 Engineering students have got campus placements in renowned
companies so far. For the first time 41 undergraduate students of Women's
College secured jobs in software companies.
The Vice Chancellor said that AMU will soon become the first green
university of India. He said that the University is investing Rs. 20 core
on a solar power system to feed the University's power grid. He said that
this investment will hopefully be recovered within 3-4 years.
Gen. Shah said that soon there will be a new Faculty of International
Studies in the University with Departments of Strategic Studies and five
Foreign Languages.
He said that responding to his call for a 'pay-back', the AMU alumni from
across the world visited their alma mater this February and participated in
the Alumni Meet organized by the AMU Alumni Affairs Committee. The Vice
Chancellor said that AMU has received generous donations and endowments to
AMU Alumni Fund.
AMU Pro-Vice Chancellor, Brig. (Retd.) S. Ahmad Ali and Registrar, Group
Captain (Retd.) Shahrukh Shamshad also took part in the proceedings of the
convocation. On this occasion, about 5000 undergraduate, postgraduate and
doctoral degrees were conferred on the students by their respective Deans.
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