Prime Minister’s Office handed over dates from Jan. 15 to March 30

Mysuru: The University of Mysore is awaiting the confirmation from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on his scheduled visit to attend the 100th convocation ceremony of the University, which will be held in February or March 2020. Otherwise, full preparations are on to conduct the ceremony in a grand manner.

In July this year, University of Mysore (UoM) Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Parliament Office in New Delhi and invited him to attend the Centenary Year Convocation. He was accompanied by Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya.

While extending the invite, the VC had presented the PM the Coffee Table Book ‘One Hundred Years — University of Mysore’. “Though the PM had accepted the invitation, confirmation from the PMO is yet to be received. 

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Prof. Hemantha Kumar said that once the PMO confirms Modi’s visit, the convocation dates will be decided. “We have planned a grand ceremony. Based on the PM’s confirmation and availability we will be finalising the date. We have given date from Jan. 15 to March-end. And any date based on his availability is fine with us. Once the PMO confirms the date, we will speed up the preparation and conduct various programmes for the event,” he added.  

If the Prime Minister confirms his visit, keeping his security in mind, probably the convocation may be shifted to the Open Air Theatre from the usual Crawford Hall, the VC said.

Included in the programmes planned for the convocation are different cultural programmes, lectures by three Nobel Laureates, honouring 25 Professors of Mysore University who have become Vice-Chancellors of other Universities and inauguration of the Centenary Hall. 

Proposed courses

If the Government permits, the University plans to start Engineering and Pharmacy Colleges and use the University land at the foot of Chamundi Hill to start running Hotel Management, Tourism and Commerce courses, Prof. Hemantha Kumar added. 

High-power Panel 

The VC will form a 12-member high-power committee for the centenary convocation.  The centenary celebration of the University took place in 2016 as the University was established in 1916. The VC added that when compared to last year, the number of gold medals will be more. 10 to 15 medals will be added to the existing tally of 372 gold medals which will be given to outstanding students. 

In all, nearly 29,000 candidates will be conferred with different degrees. More than 350 candidates are expected to receive Ph.Ds, nearly 8,300 candidates will be conferred with Master’s Degrees and nearly 20,000 candidates will be conferred with Bachelor’s Degrees.