Forward-looking Tradition Revisited At Convocation

Speaking at the University of Calcutta (CU) Annual Convocation on March 27 2006, at the CU Centenary Hall, at the University’s Asutosh Siksha Prangan, College Street, the Chancellor Andre Beteille, Chairman, Indian Council of Social Science and Research and an alumnus of the University, said, “While a modern university must aim at being inclusive, the degree of inclusiveness cannot be the only measure of its success”. “As a public institution in a democratic society it must be socially inclusive; as a center of teaching and research, it must be academically discriminating”. He highlighted that in England, France and Germany, the changes in social outlook and orientation began largely outside the universities which responded to those changes slowly and often reluctantly. In contrast, he emphasized, in India, the wider society remained set in the hierarchical mould of kinships, caste and religion while the universities, as open and secular institutions, were in the forefront in creating a new social outlook and orientation. Guarding against shortcuts to achieve social inclusiveness in universities, that may subvert their very purpose of attaining scholarship through disciplined teaching and research, he noted, “Universities cannot become socially more inclusive and at the same time maintain and enhance their academic standards unless the supply of the talent is constantly augmented”.

As the CU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Asis Kumar Banerjee gave accounts of the additions to the University library, Asutosh Museum, as well as the introduction of new courses like MBA Finance and M.A. in Comparative Indian Literature, affiliations to new colleges, he made the point that the University will continue to remain the degree-conferring authority to students of autonomous colleges, affiliated to it. He said that entrance tests for admission to post-graduate courses offered by the University are in the horizon, to bring parity among the candidates from autonomous and non-autonomous colleges affiliated to it, and seeking admission to such courses. Expressing his desire to continue maintaining linkages with other universities and institutes across the country, and share the fruits of the funds allotted to CU, with other universities in the state, he asked the University’s student fraternity to work for “development of the country and progress of mankind”.

Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy were awarded to students from the faculties of Agriculture; Arts; Commerce and Business Management; Education, Journalism, and Library and Information Sciences; Home Science; Medical Sciences; Science and Technology. Honorary Doctorate of Literature degrees were also conferred upon Prof. Beteille and Prof. Purusottama Lal, while Prof. Sankar Adhya was awarded the Doctor of Science degree Honoris Causa. Special awards were given to M.S. Swaminathan, Dr, Chandrika Prasad Sharma, Prasanta Kumar Pal, Subhendu Chattopadhyay, Leele Mazumdar, Nabanita Deb Sen and NCC cadets SUO Jitendra Das, CSM Ananta Singh, SUO Odissi Chakraborty and students Arnab Mondal an Arpita Ghosh. Eminent Teacher awards were given to Prof. Arun Kumar Dutta Gupta, Prof. Archana Sharma, Prof. Indu Bhushan Chatterjee, Prof. Mihir Chowdhury, and Prof. Kajal Sengupta posthumous.

In his Bengali address, the CU Chancellor and Governor of West Bengal Gopalkrishna Gandhi said, “the utilization of the grants receivable by the University will be successful only when the fruits thereof can improve common people’s lives and gain recognition from them as beneficial in their day-to-day lives”.

Among the other dignitaries gracing the ceremony on the occasion of the post-centenary golden jubilee celebrations of the University, were the CU Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Registrar and Deans of the faculties. The event which kicked off with the University Anthem culminated into the National Anthem. Silence was observed in memory of politician Anil Biswas, an alumnus of the University and who was member of the University Senate for three consecutive terms.