Raj Bhawan to UP universities’ V-Cs: Maintain sanctity of honorary degrees

A letter issued by the secretariat of the governor to all vice chancellors reads: “A number of universities have expressed to the governor their desire to confer honorary degrees on important guests in convocations. By distributing honorary degrees, we compromise with the importance of this honour.”

The Raj Bhawan has asked vice chancellors of all Uttar Pradesh universities to maintain the sanctity of honorary degrees conferred on dignitaries invited as chief guests at convocations.

The vice chancellors were asked to only recommend names of prominent personalities who had made significant contribution to society for honorary degrees. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A letter issued by the secretariat of the governor to all vice chancellors reads: “A number of universities have expressed to the governor their desire to confer honorary degrees on important guests in convocations. By distributing honorary degrees, we compromise with the importance of this honour.”

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The vice chancellors were asked to only recommend names of prominent personalities who had made significant contribution to society for honorary degrees, read a letter issued by Chandra Prakash, OSD to governor and chancellor of UP universities.

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The Raj Bhawan has not pointed at any particular university in its letter. Lucknow University is conferring D Sc (honoris causa) on home minister Rajnath Singh at its 60th convocation to be held on Saturday.

An LU official said the university decided to confer honorary degree on Singh for his immense contribution to education as former education minister and chief minister of UP. He was instrumental in introducing Anti-copying Act as well.