BASE University convocation to be held tomorrow in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: The second convocation of Dr B R Ambedkar School of Economics (BASE)  University, Bengaluru, will be held on April 27, where degrees of the last two academic years will be awarded. 

Addressing a news conference on Saturday, Vice Chancellor Prof Vishwanath said that Governor-Chancellor Thaawarchand Gehlot will preside over the convocation.

Higher Education Minister Dr M C Sudhakar would participate and former member of the Planning Commission of India Prof B L Mungekar would deliver the convocation address. 

At the convocation, degrees for the past two academic years would be awarded. In these two batches, six gold medals, 17 rank certificates, and 171 degree certificates would be awarded to students. 

Gold medals will be awarded to Meghana B Prashid (5-year Integrated MSc course, 2019–24), Parvathi J (2020–25 batch), Gauri Agarwal (2-year M.Sc. Economics, 2022–24 batch), Divya U (2023–25 batch), Neha M (Financial Economics, 2023–24), and Priyanshu Shekhar (2023–25 batch), he said.  

Introduction of six new courses

The university has been established to become a premier economics institution in the country. However, to gain admission to undergraduate or postgraduate courses here, students must have studied economics along with mathematics. Since such courses are not available in the state, even though 60% of seats are reserved for Karnataka students, admission has been difficult, he said. 

Moreover, admissions are only through the Common University Entrance Test conducted by NTA, making entry for state students challenging.  

Keeping in mind the needs of state students, six new courses, focusing solely on economics, would be introduced from the next academic year. They are a three-year BSc Data Analytics, a two-year MSc Data Analytics, a five-year Integrated MA Economics, a two-year MA Economics, MSc Development Economics and an MSc Public Policy. 

The university has infrastructure for 1,250 students. Currently, 250 students are studying. Since it is a residential university, if student numbers increase, hostel facilities would be insufficient. The government has not provided the promised funds, and permanent faculty appointments have not yet been made, Prof Vishwanath said.  

Registrar Mamatha Devi G S, Controller of Examinations Dr Mohammed Shameer K, and Finance Officer Prashanth Kumar M V were present at the press conference.