The 12th convocation ceremony of Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University was held on Tuesday, where a total of 6,806 students from academic sessions 2022–24 and 2023–25 were awarded degrees. The event saw 649 registered participants, including 472 postgraduate students and 177 PhD scholars who received their degrees during the ceremony.
A total of 79 meritorious students were honoured with gold medals on stage. While 105 students had registered for gold medals, 50 belonged to the 2022–24 session and 55 to the 2023–25 session. Additionally, 319 research scholars across both sessions were conferred PhD degrees, reflecting the university’s growing academic output.
The ceremony was presided over by Chancellor Dr Yogendra Narayan and inaugurated by Uttarakhand Higher Education Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat. Addressing the gathering, the minister highlighted improvements in the university’s NAAC grading under Vice-Chancellor Prof Shri Prakash Singh, but also stressed the need for greater efforts to secure stronger national recognition. He assured continued state government support and indicated upcoming academic engagements involving national-level institutions.
Speaking at the event, the Chancellor encouraged students to combine traditional knowledge with modern learning to drive innovation and prepare for future challenges. Vice-Chancellor Prof. Shri Prakash Singh stated that a degree represents not just certification but a foundation of strength for students entering professional life, underlining that education extends beyond formal completion.
A message from Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was also read during the ceremony, urging graduates to contribute actively to the nation’s development and apply their knowledge for societal benefit rather than limiting it to personal growth.
The university also released a special issue of its research journal “Mountain Research” by the Rural and Engineering Department. Notably, the event marked a departure from the traditional academic gown, with students receiving degrees in regional attire, reflecting local cultural identity. While this shift highlighted cultural inclusion, it also raised questions about balancing tradition with globally recognised academic practices.
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Among top achievers, Jyoti from the 2022–24 Sanskrit batch and Manish Shivanshu from the 2023–25 batch secured five gold medals each, including subject and donor-sponsored awards, for topping their discipline.
