20th convocation of NED University: degrees in various disciplines conferred on 1,564 students

In 20th Convocation of NED University of Engineering and Technology on Saturday some 1,564 students were conferred with degrees in various disciplines. These disciplines include Bachelor degree which was awarded to 1,426 students, while M.Engg/MVIT/MURP degrees were awarded to 136 students. Gold medals and merit certificates were also distributed among high achievers.
Moreover PhD degree awarded to Dr Muhammad Ali Ismail, Assistant Professor in department of Computer & Information System Engineering, and Dr Fariha Asim, Assistant Professor in Department of Textile Engineering. In his convocation speech, chief guest, Former Chairman National Disaster Management Cell, Lieutenant General Farooq Ahmad Khan (Retd) congratulated the passed out students and prayed for their success in their practical life. He asked the graduating students to demonstrate their potential in second phase of their career.
"Yes, there will be difficulties and problems in your career to turn impossibilities into possibilities but it is the part of life and you have to show patience and be determined to achieve the desired goals", Farooq Khan advised the students. He admired the services of NED University that it rendered during the earthquake, saying that effective research of Civil Engineering department of varsity had made us capable to deal with catastrophic situations in country. "Until now this University has restricted its Doctorate programme only for its Faculty members. This restriction was necessary in order to bring the number of qualified Doctorate Faculty in this University, which from barely 15 in 1997 has risen to 89 now" he said.
He said it was however possible that from the Academic Year 2012-13 onwards, the Doctorate programme might be opened also for the outsider candidates who possess adequate qualifications. Even this programme would however always be as befitting the Public Sector not as business proposition but on the other hand as public service.
Abul Kalam said total enrolment of this University which was only 3,014 in 1996-97 had been reached to 8,287 in 2011-12, which in all may increase to around 9,000 in 2012-13. These increases may be possible only because of two support systems - firstly continuous efforts of the Chancellor's Secretariat to increase campus accommodation of the University, while Pakistan Marine Academy now affiliated but eventually for becoming Constituent College as proposed by the Higher Education Commission which has been the other support system by channelling adequate funds to facilitate long overdue development.