Mangaluru : National Research Professor, School of Chemistry (University of Hyderabad) Prof Goverdhan Mehta appealed to Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, who is also Chancellor of Mangalore University, to safeguard autonomy of universities and protect them from any political and bureaucratic meddling.

Delivering 33rd convocation address at Mangalore University here on Wednesday, he said the Chancellor should become protector and promoter of quality in higher education institutions in the State.

There is a need to maintain and enhance quality in education. “Severe shortage of faculty, dwindling infrastructure, inadequate budgetary allocations, indifferent leadership and governance deficit had a crippling effect on quality education.

Effective policy interventions and active involvement and commitment of university stakeholders will help in improving the quality education.”

Stating that India is a melting pot of contrasts and colours where past, present and future co exist in a complex social milieu, Prof Mehta said “in spite of India launching Chandrayana and Maglayan, we have failed to ensure every girl child a toilet in the school.

The paradoxes in the country on richnesss and poverty, unemployment, corruption and violence needs to be resolved by the younger generation, to emerge country as an inclusive, sustainable, and innovation led nation.” He called the graduates to dream high in life. “The graduates must aspire to become an innovator to provide solutions to problems that are micro to complex. In the present context, initiatives for “Swacch Bharat” “Make in India,” “Mission to Clean Ganga” offer opportunities for innovations that range from frugal to grandiose, which are adaptable and scalable at local to global level,” he said. The scientist said research must occupy centre stage in the environment of universities. Research and teaching must go hand in hand.

Every faculty/teacher in a university must cultivate a research idea, make a bid for competitive merit based research funding and must harbour a yearning to supervise doctoral research.

He said the graduates must remember three C’s in life—ability to collaborate, compete and connect. One should learn to become a smart player in mind games and acquire flair for objective analysis.

Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala conferred Honoris Causa on three eminent personalities— Prof Goverdhan Mehta, Shashi Kiran Shetty and Prof B V R Chowdari on the occasion. A few selected students who had won gold medals and secured ranks in each faculty was conferred degree by Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala. The remaining students were given awards and degrees by Mangalore University Vice Chancellor Prof K Byrappa in the afternoon.

This disappointed few students eager to receive degrees from the Governor.