Governor Anandiben Patel Emphasizes True Value of Education at Lucknow University Convocation

During the 69th convocation of Lucknow University, Governor Anandiben Patel highlighted the true essence of education as a means to honor family and society. With over 125,000 degrees awarded, she celebrated the achievements of female students, who outnumbered their male counterparts in receiving medals. Patel urged for research into the academic performance gap between genders and condemned social issues like dowry. She called for awareness campaigns against child sexual assault and emphasized the need for moral values among youth. The event concluded with well-wishes for graduates from state officials and guests.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 1, 2026, 06:28 IST

Significance of Education Highlighted

On Friday, Anandiben Patel, the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, articulated that the essence of education lies in bringing honor to one's family, community, university, and nation. This statement was made during the 69th convocation ceremony of Lucknow University, presided over by Patel, who also serves as the Chancellor of state universities. The event saw the conferral of degrees to a total of 125,285 students.

Celebrating Academic Excellence

Among the graduates, there were 57,166 male students and 68,119 female students. The ceremony recognized 111 outstanding students with a total of 204 medals for their academic achievements, comprising 81 female and 30 male recipients.

A Collective Achievement

The Governor remarked, "This achievement is not solely for the students but also for their parents, teachers, families, and friends." She expressed her happiness at the fact that the number of female medalists surpassed that of their male counterparts, indicating a positive shift in society and serving as an inspiring testament to the talent, hard work, and dedication of daughters.

Call for Research on Gender Performance

Patel noted that an analysis of university examination results over the past seven years shows a consistent improvement in female students' performance, while male students lag behind. She urged the university to conduct research on this matter to understand the underlying reasons.

Addressing Social Issues

The Governor called on the youth to steer clear of social evils like dowry, condemning crimes such as the murder of women over dowry disputes. She advised daughters to firmly reject any marriage proposals that involve dowry demands.

Research on Criminal Behavior

Patel instructed the Vice-Chancellor to visit prisons and engage with convicts serving life sentences for mass murders to investigate the mental, social, or familial conditions that lead individuals to commit such heinous acts. She emphasized that the findings could provide new directions for crime prevention in society.

Concern Over Child Sexual Assaults

The Governor expressed deep concern regarding the rising incidents of sexual assault against young girls. She urged the university to initiate widespread awareness campaigns, organize oath-taking ceremonies, and foster a sense of moral values and social responsibility among the youth.

Acknowledging Contributions to Education

During the ceremony, she welcomed the chief guest, Professor Abhay Karandikar, a member of the NITI Aayog, acknowledging his inspirational contributions to education, research, science, and technology.

Wishes for Graduates

The event also featured remarks from Rajni Tiwari, the State Minister for Higher Education in Uttar Pradesh, and Professor Abhay Karandikar, who extended their best wishes to the graduates, their families, and the university community for a bright future.