‘India produces the best brains’
Admission abroad easier than in India’s top institutes, says IIT prof
LUCKNOW: Getting admission to foreign educational institutions like Stanford University or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was easier than seeking admission to the Indian Institute of Technology, said Padma Shri Seyed E Hasnain, a professor of IIT-Delhi.
Professor Hasnain was addressing the 7th annual convocation of Integral University here on Sunday. To prove his point, the professor, without naming anyone, said a former professor of IIT-Delhi took his ward for admission to one of these two foreign universities.
When the professors there asked the IIT professor why he had brought his ward for admission to a foreign university, he replied his son could not get admission to IIT-Delhi.
“The standard of our institution is that high, though it is a different matter that none of our higher educational institutions figures in the list of the world’s top 200 institutions. This should not worry Indians much, as long as we produce the best brains in the world,” prof Hasnain said.
He said it was now proven that the Indian mind was the best. “India’s successful mission to Mars cost only `454 crore. If the total distance it travelled with the money spent is calculated, it comes to `6.6 per kilometre which is less than what we pay for a taxi while travelling in Delhi,” the professor said. According to him, globally it has been seen that top positions in various sectors across the world are held by persons of Indian origin.
Union minister for minority affairs Najma Heptulla who was the chief guest on the occasion did not turn up due to Bihar elections. Chancellor SR Azmi Nadwi presided over the convocation.
In all, 45 gold medals, 46 silver medals and 53 doctorates were awarded to meritorious students at the ceremony. The chancellor conferred degrees for various academic programmes on the students. A total of 2,351 students received degrees for undergraduate, postgraduate and research courses.
Md Nashrullah was the first position holder in the university and he received a gold medal for the session 2014-15. Himanshu Rastogi was second position holder and received a silver medal.
Addressing the gathering, vice chancellor of the university SW Akhtar said, “A record number of 132 companies visited the campus for placement and more than 500 students have been placed.” Presently, the university was running 58 courses in 10 faculties and 46 departments, he said.
Dr Akhtar Haseeb, vice chancellor of Acharya Narendra Dev University, Faizabad, highlighted the role of agricultural science and said it should benefit the farmers.
He offered full assistance and support to Integral University in promoting agricultural science and technology and help the farming community
Eminent academicians and personalities from Lucknow also graced the occasion. The list of special invitees included vice chancellor of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Urdu Arbi Farsi University, Prof Khan Masood Ahmad and justice Allah Rahem, chairman, Service Tribunal, Lucknow.
The proceedings were webcast live to all alumni members and their parents by M/s People Link of Hyderabad. Students were seen excited and happy. Parents were seen visiting the university campus with their wards and taking photos and selfies with the professors.