Debate must lead to decisions and cooperation: Vice-President at JNU convocation
Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan addresses the 9th Convocation of Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi on Monday, with Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, JNU chancellor Kanwal Sibal, vice-chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit and other dignitaries on the dais.
NEW DELHI: Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Monday called on young graduates to uphold intellectual integrity and actively contribute to nation-building, saying debate, discussion and dissent are essential in a democracy but must ultimately lead to decisions and cooperation.
Addressing the 9th convocation of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Radhakrishnan urged students to dedicate their knowledge and skills to the service of the nation. Referring to Swami Vivekananda on his birth anniversary, he said education should go beyond degrees to build character, strengthen intellect and empower individuals to stand on their own feet.
He stressed that India’s youth would play a decisive role in realising the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, adding that education and proper training were key to this transformation.
Highlighting India’s long civilisational tradition of learning, the Vice-President cited ancient centres such as Nalanda and Takshashila, and classical texts including the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, Kautilya’s Arthashastra and Thirukkural. True education, he said, shapes conduct and character and cannot be reduced to the mere acquisition of degrees.
Radhakrishnan underlined that modern science and traditional values must grow together. Referring to JNU’s democratic culture, he said debate, discussion, dissent and even confrontation were signs of a healthy academic environment, but added that once a decision is taken, there must be collective cooperation to ensure effective administration.
He appreciated JNU’s inclusive atmosphere and its efforts to promote equity and social inclusion in student admissions and faculty recruitment. He also commended the university’s expansion into emerging and civilisational fields, including new centres for Hindu, Jain and Buddhist Studies, and initiatives to promote Indian languages such as Tamil, Assamese, Odia, Marathi and Kannada. Knowledge creation, he said, must flourish in mother tongues in keeping with the National Education Policy.
In his concluding remarks, the Vice-President urged graduates to uphold intellectual honesty, promote social inclusion and actively contribute to national development, while remaining guided by constitutional values and India’s civilisational ethos.
Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, JNU chancellor Kanwal Sibal, vice-chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, faculty members, students and their families attended the convocation.
