Convocation Ceremony and Degree Certificate

Education is a critical part of our initial days and growth journey and as we grow older, X, then XII and then graduation are important milestones. As a child going through all these years of learning, passing X, then XII and then graduating (some will go further with masters and even phd), are achievements that cannot be belittled. While marks are important for what happens next, but for a child, the most important aspect is having cleared each class and then getting their hands on the certificates.

Not only the ceremonies swell the pride and the certificates are evidence of having achieved it, but these are lifetime memories. More so the convocation (graduation) ceremony (which now seems to happen even for nursery children) is something that, I believe, every child grows with dreams in their eyes of being dressed in that black robe, with the black hat and holding the degree in their hands. Ask anyone and I will be surprised if they have not dreamed of jumping in the air, throwing their hats high up with huge smiles on their face.

All these dreams were shattered when suddenly for ridiculous reason of 'large funds being spent', state governments decided to stop the convocation ceremonies (read here and here). I wonder if this is the only thing happening that takes up *large* funds or was this the one where misappropriation was not possible or was the easiest to kill, without affecting the vote bank.

While this is definitely highly disappointing, the added issue is the design of degree certificate itself. Am using thumbnails below, but am sure you can still make out the key points highlighted below.

Degree issued by IIT Bombay. So very clean and easy to read and clearly shows the degree and the name of the person etc.

Degree issued by Savitribai Pune University. Totally unreadable. Seems more like some agreement, than degree certificate. The degree, the name of the student are unreadable. The only thing you can clearly make out is that it is written in both English and Marathi. Why? Why dual language. If states want to issue degree in local language, then please issue two separate certificates. One in English and one in local language, but design it better and make it easily readable. Students no longer get their convocation ceremony and then get a degree certificate like this. What a total disaster!!

Humble request to University Grants Commission (UGC) and Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) to look into this and address the design of the certificate. If using two papers is a challenge, then maybe English on one side and local language on other side should also be acceptable. But then, two papers should not be challenge given that SPPU charges Rs 500 for giving the degree certificate (and any other certificate like migration certificate). I had not heard earlier that universities were charging for giving the degree certificate to the students. But then universities today are charging students to appear for exams also, which to me, is totally absurd. Isn't that already part of the hefty course fees?

Anyway, hope that the convocation ceremony will be revived and the degree certificate will be designed better.