GOVERNING J&K IS A CHALLENGE: FM
Union minister hails youth for excelling against odds amid disturbed atmosphere
JAMMU: Union finance minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday heaped praise on the ‘unprecedented resilience’ being continually exhibited by the youth of Jammu & Kashmir in their pursuit of academic excellence in the midst of a disturbed environment.
Jaitely said he hoped that this resilience in the academic pursuit may end up bringing peace and development in J&K, a “challenging state to govern that required determination, statesmanship and a capacity to face criticism”.
The 17th convocation of the University of Jammu for 2015-16 was held here at General Zorawar Singh Auditorium on Sunday. Chief guest finance minister Arun Jaitley delivered the convocation address.
J&K governor NN Vohra, chancellor of the university, awarded 214 degrees, including 155 PhD degrees and Jaitely gave away 59 gold medals, cash awards and medals at the convocation.
Delivering his address at the convocation, Jaitely said the way the global scenario was changing, a great opportunity is coming India’s way.
“Despite global challenges in last few years, India has left its mark by becoming one of the fastest economies of the world. Obviously, it means that the opportunity for India and Indians is going to increase,” he said. He added, “We are looked as one of the bright spots in the world and over the next one or two decades, the position of a fast-growing economy, which China held in the last three decades, belongs to India. Most of you who were conferred degrees are going to enter the job market in an India full of opportunities.”
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Jaitley said in the given scenario, he always wondered that where a state like J&K stood.
“Conceptually, with a limited population, a large area, most beautiful spots in the world, handicrafts, good agriculture and the best pilgrim centres, the state should have been the most affluent part of this country, had it not been a victim of history,” he said. “But unfortunately the curse of insurgency struck us,” he added.
Jaitely praised students of all regions of the state. “Living in the midst of a disturbed environment and yet be able to excel academically, this is an unprecedented resilience, which the young population of the state has demon- strated. I am quite sure that ultimately, it is this resilience and the opportunity that they see for themselves that may end up bringing, what is the ultimate object as far as the state is concerned, peace and development,” he said.
He said the J&K today was a challenging state to govern, which required determination, statesmanship and capacity to face criticism and yet be able to work effectively towards the twin object of ushering in an era of peace and progress.
CHANCELLOR MESSAGE: BE AGENTS OF CHANGE
The university chancellor NN Vohra conveyed his best wishes to all the passing out scholars for their future careers and congratulated all those who had won medals and awards.
Vohra observed that institutions of higher learning assume relevance only when their faculties and scholars get involved in researching and finding solutions to the problems faced by the common people living in the state, region and country. He advised that men and women passing out of the universities to get meaningfully involved with the resolution of societal problems and utilise their knowledge and skill for promoting the welfare of the lessadvantaged segments of the society.
He appealed graduates to devote some of their time and resources towards spreading literacy and undertake a task, which will contribute towards the alleviation of poverty and promotion of human welfare.