UP Guv calls for mandatory 75% attendance in schools, focus on research

Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel on Monday laid emphasis on research work and also said that 75 per cent attendance should be made compulsory for students.

Addressing the 44th convocation of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University at Baba Gambhirnath Auditorium, Patel stressed on the importance of research, saying that identifying problems prevalent in the society, studying them and taking the solutions forward is the need of the hour.

The government gives grants for research, this should be used in projects that caters to societal welfare. After completion of the research work, it should be sent to officials concerned, so that effective action can be taken on it, Patel said.

The UP governor added that "minimum 75 per cent attendance should be made compulsory for students in colleges, schools and universities." Parents work hard to educate their children, so they should regularly listen to lectures in class, use laboratories and libraries, and strive to progress in studies, she said.

Patel, who is also the Chancellor of all the state universities, said that activities of the university should be accelerated under the agreement it signed with foreign universities.

Expressing happiness over the enrolment of foreign students, she said that they should be treated with cooperation and affection, and said "this is our culture".

She encouraged the students to go to universities of neighbouring countries and learn from their education system and implement good experiences in their university. NAAC, NIRF and world ranking play an important role in the enrolment of foreign students, so universities should constantly focus on improving their quality, she said.

The governor awarded medals to 161 students and handed out PhD degrees to 301 researchers, the Raj Bhavan said in a statement.

During the programme, chief guest Padma Shri Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Institute Chair Professor, IIT Kanpur was awarded the honorary DSc degree, the statement added.