4th convocation of Bengaluru City University today

Bengaluru: The fourth annual convocation of Bengaluru City University (BCU) will be held on Wednesday, with the first batch of undergraduate students admitted under the National Education Policy (NEP) graduating during the convocation.

Girls have outshone boys by bagging seven out of ten top gold medalists.

S Anusha, a student of the Chemistry Department of BCU, has secured five gold medals in the postgraduate course and emerged as the golden girl. 

Manan Jain, a student of Seshadripuram Arts, Science and Commerce College and R S Sanjana of V V Puram Arts and Commerce College have bagged three gold medals each in the undergraduate courses.

A total of 64 students have obtained gold medals this time. 

Acting vice-chancellor K R Jalaja said that the number of boys enrolling for higher education has come down.

“We have observed a decreasing enrollment of boys. We have only 41% of boys’ enrollment,” she added.

Among the degree-receiving students, 32,486 are undergraduate and 7,285 are postgraduate students.

Nine students are receiving their PhD. The overall pass percentage is 78.14. The pass percentage is 71% for UG and 85% for PG programmes.

Justice P B Bhajantri, High Court of Patna, Bihar, will be the chief guest and deliver the convocation address.

Governor-Chancellor Thaawarchand Gehlot and Higher Education Minister Dr M C Sudhakar will be present at the convocation. 

No honorary degrees

Prof Jalaja said the university is presenting honorary doctorates this time.

“We have selected some names in the syndicate and sent them to the governor for approval. But the governor did not approve any names,” she said. 

Gold winners overcame all odds

It was not a cake walk for many gold medalists; some struggled between managing academics and responsibilities at home.

For Anusha, daughter of a farmer father and a mother working at a garment factory, winning the highest number of gold numbers (five in total), was not an easy task. 

“I took up Physics, Chemistry and Maths in my degree. It was Chemistry that attracted me. I worked as a teacher at a private school for some time and now hope to crack some government recruitment exams,” she said. 

Sanjana R S

Sanjana R S, a student of V V Puram College of Arts and Commerce, has bagged three gold medals in BCom.

Sanjana’s father works as a watchman. Her brother sacrificed his education after class 10 to manage the family.

“I want to pursue CA and am currently working as an accountant in a private firm. Accounting is my favourite subject,” she said. 

Priya Balachandra

Among all the gold medalists, Priya Balachandra stands different as she managed to pursue postgraduation in French from the Department of Global Languages, Central College, and walked out with two gold medals at the age of 56.  

Priya was a diploma holder in French. She pursued postgraduation studies after 22 years.  “Before taking a break for the family,  I worked with the Alliance Francaise and also taught at some schools. I had held the responsibility of head examiner for the CBSE. As I decided to return, I realised postgraduation is necessary and joined the MA course in French,” she said.