Degrees conferred to the students
KOKRAJHAR, FEB 16: The third Covocation of Bodoland University (BU), a premier educational institution in Bodoland Territorial Region to confer degree certificates to graduates and PhD degree holders for the year of 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 was held on Sunday at the Jwhwlao Nileswar Brahma Auditorium of the university in Kokrajhar.
The Chancellor of the university and Governor of Assam, Lakshman Prasad Acharya ceremonially gave away the certificate to the qualified students.
In his speech, the Vice Chancellor of the Bodoland University, Prof Babulal Ahuja said the BU at present had 90 faculties include 17 academic departments strive to
provide a multi-disciplinary learning environment that fuels curiosity, fosters
innovation, and empowers students to achieve their aspirations. He said Bodoland University had achieved an extraordinary eleven-fold increase in sponsored research funding, soaring from Rs. 1.53 crores in 2021-22 to an
impressive Rs. 16.62 crores in 2024-25 under 28 projects. Additionally. Rs. 20 crores grant under the PM-USHA scheme has further bolstered the university’s initiatives and infrastructure. Notably, the department of Biotechnology recently secured projects worth Rs. 12,4 crores, including Rs.7.6 crores awarded to Prof. Jatin Sarmah by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA and Rs. 4.8 crores to Prof. Sandeep Das through an
academia-industry collaboration with Bongaigaon Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited.
“Our researchers are shining on the global stage. Two faculty members from
the Faculty of Science & Technology, Prof. Sanjay Basumatary (department
of Chemistry) and Dr. Hemen Sarma (department of Botany), have earned the prestigious distinction of being ranked among the world’s Top 2% most-cited scientists for 2024 by Stanford University. Dr. Arvind Kumar Goyal of the Centre for Bamboo Studies is the third highly cited scientist, adding to
its glory”, he said adding that the Bodoland University proudly secured two groundbreaking patents in the departments of Botany and History.
Ahuja said driving socio-economic transformation, the Technology Incubation Centre at BU supported by the department of Bio-technology, Government of India, Government of Assam, BTR, and North Eastern Council (NEC), has emerged as a beacon of hope for rural communities. Through its pioneering efforts, the centre has trained over 10,000 farmers in mushroom cultivation and established 137 Rural Skill Centres in North Eastern States, empowering them with sustainable livelihoods and fostering a culture of innovation and resilience in the region, he said and added-the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has been
transformative for the BU.
He also said BU aimed to expand its academic horizons by establishing 30 new departments. In consonance with the objectives of the NEP 2020, the proposed departments will cater to
diverse fields, enhancing academic and professional opportunities for students
in the region. With kind support of the Government of Assan and BTR, he said adding that they have begun developing a new campus in Udalguri, Assam, approximately 240 km from the main campus at Kokrajhar.
Remarkably, BU has been designated as the nodal university by the University Grants Commission (UGC) under the visionary framework of the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti (BBS) for the development of textbooks the Bodo language. He also said by championing India’s rich linguistic heritage, the university seeks to fortify regional languages, particularly Bodo and as a testament to this dedication, the department of Bodo at BU under the leadership of Prof. Indira Boro, has authored an inpressive
collection of about 70 books in the Bodo.
Moreover, the department of Managemnent Studies at BU offers a functional Hindi course, a certificate programme in collaboration with the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Centre for Policy Research and Analysis, IM, Shillong and the North Eastern Council (NEC), Government of India.
Ahuja said the Bodoland University had established 19 MoUs with esteemed organizations and institutions to promote academic excellence, research, innovation, and global collaboration. These partnerships include leading institutions such as the CSIR-NEIST, Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship, CIT Kokrajhar, IOCL, Bhattadev University, and Gauhati University. He further said the university had also signed MoUs with the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology, United Nations-North East Region, and the Wildlife Trust of India, reflecting its commitment to
interdisciplinary research, technological advancement, and environmental
conservation.
Governor Acharya expressed his gratitude and thanks to the university authority for initiating the convocation with a colourful programme scheduled.He said that he was very happy with the event as Bodoland University has been rendering services towards the educational uplift in the region.
Pramod Boro, the chief executive member of Bodoland Territorial Region expressed his gladness having attend the colourful programme scheduled in the university.
” I along with Hon’ble Governor of Assam cum Chancellor of Bodoland University His Excellency Adarniya Shri Laxman Acharya Ji, glad to attend the 3rd Convocation Ceremony of the prestigious university and confer degrees to the recently graduated students. I urged them to put their higher education to good use and contribute towards a ‘Viksit BTR’ and ‘Viksit Assam’ as skilled human resources. My best wishes for their future endeavours”, Boro said.
