Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) held its 17th Convocation Ceremony at the Dwarka campus with a major thrust on the importance of education in building the future of the country. The event witnessed the presence of prominent dignitaries including Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor and Chancellor of IP University, Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, Delhi Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta, Education Minister Shri Ashish Sood, Chief Secretary Shri Dharmendra, and President of the Indian National Science Academy, Prof. Ashutosh Sharma.

In a major announcement, Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena unveiled a budgetary allocation of ₹500 crore for the creation of an Educational Hub in Narela. Describing higher education as the government’s top priority, he underscored the commitment towards making Delhi a hub of learning and excellence. “This budget is not a monetary investment; it’s a move towards creating a better future for our youth,” he said in his presidential address.

Addressing the graduating students, Shri Saxena highlighted the social obligation of education. He reminded the students that their mission is not merely personal development, but also being responsive to social concerns and giving something back to the world. “Education that does not bring happiness to someone’s life is of no real value,” he added, laying stress on human values and compassion. He also added that history has shown that a single person can initiate change across the world, ensuring everybody that Delhi is in good hands under the existing leadership.

Delhi Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta also articulated the same views in her speech. She once again asserted that quality improvement of education in the capital state remains a high priority agenda of her government. Urging students to become active citizens, she emphasized the importance of joint participation in actualizing the vision of a developed Delhi and, in extension, a developed India.

In his speech, Education Minister Shri Ashish Sood recognized the hard work and persistence behind every degree as a proof of the students’ journey. But he told them that the actual test is now. He encouraged the graduates to exploit the power of sustainability and artificial intelligence to innovate and improve the country, reminding them that learning should be a lifetime process.

Chief Secretary Shri Dharmendra inaugurated the conference with emphasis on the need to close the skill gap in the nation. He underlined the necessity of giving students industry-aligned skills and developing an environment for constant upskilling.

Addressing the convocation, Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, President of the Indian National Science Academy, emphasized the importance of developing a culture of innovation. He advocated an integrated strategy involving knowledge from various disciplines and urged the fostering of startups and technology applications to solve real-world issues. Lifelong learning, he added, should become the bedrock of individual and national progress.

The convocation function saw degrees being awarded to 24,456 students, a historic achievement in their academic life. These consisted of 110 PhDs, 12 MPhil, 2,624 Master’s, 20,739 Bachelor’s, 483 MBBS, and 488 MD, MS, and Ayurveda Vachaspati degrees. Of these, 74 students were also awarded gold medals for their academic performance.

Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Mahesh Verma launched the University Report, presenting the institution’s milestones and plans. He announced that an Indian Knowledge Center will be set up as part of IPU’s future academic vision. The international expansion of the university was also demonstrated through its close to 100 Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) that include 40 foreign partnerships. One of the memorable moments of the event was the release of the book “Impressions: The IPU Journey of Excellence”, highlighting the progress of the university over the years.

The most encouraging thing about the convocation was the outstanding performance of women students, who surpassed their male counterparts in a number of categories. Among the 110 PhD awardees, there were 75 women. In the same manner, among the 73 medal winners, 49 were women. All the special medals of the University were also grabbed by the girl students. Riya Dua won the Dr. B.P. Joshi Memorial Gold Medal and Muskan Gupta grabbed the Siddharth Khitoliya Award. Ashok Sahni and Suman Sahni Awards given to the most excellence in the fields of technology and medicine, respectively, were grabbed by Pooja Sukheja and Himani Tomar.

The ceremony ended on a proud and hopeful note, marking academic achievement while also reminding students of their social responsibility. The 17th Convocation of IP University was not only a ceremonial event but also an indication of the institution’s steadfast commitment to fostering responsible, innovative, and compassionate future leaders.