President Droupadi Murmu today called upon students to use education as a means to build an equitable and inclusive society while addressing the first convocation of the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh in Visakhapatnam. She said educated youth should not work only for their own progress but also strive to uplift the weaker sections and contribute to nation-building.
The President urged students to become agents of social transformation, saying education should go beyond securing employment and help strengthen society, culture, traditions and economic progress. She said every educated youth should help bring forward those left behind and contribute towards achieving the goal of a developed India by 2047. Emphasising the importance of meaningful education, President Murmu said students should combine academic learning with practical knowledge and remain connected to their community, culture and traditions while acquiring new skills to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world. She said institutions established with the objective of social justice, such as the Central Tribal University, have a greater responsibility to promote tribal education, healthcare, skill development, livelihoods and forest rights.
The President said the benefits of modern science should reach every section of society while preserving India’s rich heritage. She appreciated the University’s initiatives, including its Science and Technology Hub, Tribal Skill Development Centre and grassroots development programmes for tribal empowerment. She also stressed the need to preserve tribal languages and dialects and lauded the University’s documentation of the dialects of tribal communities, including the Koya and Savara.
President Murmu expressed happiness that nearly 40 percent of the graduating students and around 70 per cent of the gold medal recipients are women, saying this reflects the University’s inclusive outlook and commitment to gender justice.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said India’s knowledge system has its roots in tribal society, which has preserved invaluable knowledge of nature, forests, agriculture and animal husbandry. He said this traditional wisdom should be adapted to contemporary needs. The Minister urged students to become job creators rather than job seekers and said universities should lead innovation to help realise the vision of a developed India by 2047.
During the convocation, President Murmu conferred degrees on 373 undergraduate and postgraduate students who completed their programmes between the 2020 and 2025-26 academic years. She also presented gold medals to 13 meritorious students, including 10 women, for their outstanding academic performance.
Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, State Education Minister Nara Lokesh, State Tribal Welfare Minister G. Sandhya Rani, University Chancellor Madan Lal Meena, Vice-Chancellor T. Srinivasan and other dignitaries attended the convocation.
