Twenty-nine girls of Patna University’s 2011-12 undergraduate session will be among the 41 students of the varsity to be awarded gold medals on Monday.

On October 1, the Patna University (PU) will enter its 95th year. The students — toppers in different subjects — will be honoured at the varsity’s foundation day celebrations at Wheeler Senate Hall. Chancellor Devanand Konwar will be the chief guest.

Sources said of the 29 girls to be honoured at the foundation day celebrations, 17 are from Patna Women’s College. Apart from a gold medal — a gold-plated copper medal — all the 41 students will also be given a certificate.

Not only have the girls trumped the boys on the PU topper list, a few of them have also topped in science subjects, a male dominated stream till a few years back. Chhaya Kumari, a student of Patna Women’s College, has topped in physics. Chunnumith Lepcha, also from the same institution, is the university chemistry topper.

Seven of the 41 students have topped in botany, geology, mathematics, statistics, computer application (science), biotechnology and environmental science from Patna Science College.

This is the second consecutive year that undergraduate toppers of PU would be honoured. The undergraduate toppers are upbeat about the PU’s initiative.

Kishan Kumar, the geology topper, said: “Honouring students with gold medals boosts our morale. It is a recognition for our hard work.”

Patna University proctor Kriteshwar Prasad said the varsity will also felicitate seven retired teachers and four retired non-teaching employees with a memento, a shawl and a certificate for their contributions.

This is the first time retired non-teaching employees would be felicitated.

Vice-chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh said: “Teachers and students are honoured in every university function but non-teaching employees, whose role is important in varsity affairs, never get recognition. That is the reason for honouring the non-teaching employees.”