Sanctity of University campus must be protected from indiscipline: Jamir

Bhubaneswar: Governor SC Jamir on Sunday said University community has the responsibility to ensure that sanctity of the campus is protected from indiscipline and evil attempts to undermine university reputation.

“Sanctity with cleanliness makes the University a thriving center of learning. Cleanliness is a social value which needs to be inculcated within youth,” said Jamir addressing the 74th foundation day of Utkal University here.

He said universities’ role in shaping the ambition and personal performance of young people is paramount.

“By educating our youth, Universities must also be incubators of global citizens, and generators of future leadership. We should aspire to inculcate a view of the world that is broad, multifaceted and interconnected,” he added.

Outlining the role of universities in the present time, the Governor said the quest to create “world-class” universities has become something of a global obsession.

Governments across the world have put the development of competitive higher education and research systems at the heart of their national economic strategies. Rankings are carefully and primarily designed to capture excellence in teaching and research, he added.

“We must strengthen the research capacity of our universities, and its translation into economic impact,” said the Governor.

Terming Utkal University as the Mother University in the state, he said Utkal University is a heritage institution in Odisha and today it has the history to look back over seven decades of progress and its evolution as an important center for higher learning.

“Despite challenges, the University occupies a pre-eminent role in the educational landscape for young people in the 20th century. It has been playing a key role in fostering academic excellence from its inception. This University promotes academic leadership as exemplified by its distinguished alumni,” pointed out the Governor.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. A.K. Das highlighted the contribution of Utkal University to the growth of Odisha.

Tapan Chand, CMD, NALCO stressed upon industry-institute interaction and future collaboration of Nalco with the University.

Prof. R.K. Baral, Chairman, PG Council, M.K. Biswal, Registrar, Director, Students Welfare among others spoke on the occasion.