108th convocation: NU to bestow 870 PhDs, highest in last 5 years

Nagpur: The Nagpur University (NU) would be awarding the highest number of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in the last five years during its 108th convocation on July 9. It would be bestowing a record 870 PhDs on the students on Friday, but it would be done virtually due to Covid-19 restrictions, as per NU officials.
NU would also be giving Doctor of Letters (DLitt) degrees to Ratnakar Bhelkar and Dr Tulsidas Gedam, both in humanities faculty. While the former would be getting his degree for his study on ‘Translation of Tukadoji’s Gram Geeta: Tradition of Reality’, the latter would be receiving it for his project on ‘Shudra, all in original’. Bhelkar will be the second one to receive the prestigious degree in English in the last four decades after RN Roy, former NU Head of English department.
Officials informed that the university would be bestowing 195 medals and prizes on the meritorious students from various faculties. Among top winners are Prachi Agrawal of BA LLB (five-year) course from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Law College at Deekshabhoomi, who won 11 medals.
She’s followed by MBA student Aditya Khode from Dr Ambedkar Institute of Management Studies and Gauri Joshi from the NU department of chemistry, with seven each. Amol Dhakde from NU’s Dr Ambedkar thought department has won six, along with Poonam Belekar from Anjuman Engineering College.
According to NU officials, the previous highest 842 PhDs were conferred during 103rd convocation in November 2016. The highest ever was 998 presented during the historic 100th convocation. A majority of the 870 PhD recipients are from the science and technology faculty, followed by humanities and then commerce and management.
They added that despite NU introducing strict norms during the tenure of former VC SP Kane and pro-VC Pramod Yeole, the number of PhDs continued to swell over the years.
Kane and Yeole had introduced two tests PET-1 and PET-2 for those pursuing PhD, that had initially led to reduction in the number of aspirants. However, the new administration under VC Subhash Chaudhari relaxed norms by cancelling two tests and bringing back one test that may lead to breaching these numbers, the officials said.
Governor to attend prog online
NU officials disclosed that Maharashtra governor and chancellor Bhagat Singh Koshyari would be attending the ceremony online, as he would be going to Delhi for some urgent official work. Earlier, he consented to preside over the ceremony to award Doctor of Law (LLD) degree to former Chief Justice of India Sharad Bobde. An official from the governor’s office also confirmed the development. His move, however, disappointed the NU officials.
PhDs awarded by NU in last five years
103rd --------842
104th --------769
105th --------152
106th --------532
107th --------746
108th -------- 870