The Hindu : New Delhi News : `Nation entering a new and interesting phase'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 25, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

`Nation entering a new and interesting phase'

Staff Reporter

Middle-income economy in 20 years: Ahluwalia

NEW DELHI: These are interesting times for those leaving the portals of the university to embark on a new journey of life since the country's economy is growing well and the youth today have many more options than ever before, said Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Saturday.

In his "last word" to graduating Delhi University students, 43 years after he himself passed out from the same campus, Mr. Ahluwalia said: "You are starting your lives when the country is entering a new and interesting phase. When I received my degree, India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 3.5 per cent. Things are different today because the economy has been growing at 8 per cent in the past four years."

"We in the Planning Commission have set an average growth of 9 per cent over the next five years. You will get to see the transformation of India. In 20 years the country will become a middle-income economy and poverty would have been reduced," he said at the 84th Annual Convocation of Delhi University.

Reminiscing about the time when he received his degree, Mr. Ahluwalia joked that Delhi University had made quality improvement for the convocation ceremony that was organised in a "shamiana'' during his time and was now being held in a magnificent, restored convention hall of the Old Viceregal Lodge.

"When I graduated, my colleagues had limited options. Today you have a variety of options, some of which might be very unconventional as per your parents. Your generation will experience a very different world. Since it is a globalised world, our interaction with other countries will be much more. You will have the advantage of working with foreign as well as Indian multinational companies that will give you the same satisfaction," said the former Stephanian.

Earlier, Vice-Chancellor Deepak Pental conferred degrees of Ph. D. in all disciplines, including Arts, Sciences, Law and Medical Sciences and D. M. (Cardiology), D. M. (Neurology), D. M. (Gastroenterology), M. Ch. (Plastic Surgery), M. Ch. (Cardio-Thoracic Surgery), M. Ch. (Neuro Surgery), M. Ch. (Gastroenterology Surgery) and M. Ch. (Paediatric Surgery).

The number of candidates admitted to the 2006 Ph. D. degree in the two-hour-long ceremony was 289, three less than the previous year.

Girls were much ahead of their male counterpart when it came to receiving medals and prizes: of the 167 students who were felicitated on Saturday, as many as 103 were girls.

The total number of candidates admitted to the various degrees in 2006 was 77,749 compared with 73,735 the previous year.

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