Guwahati, May 28: Former UGC chairman Ved Prakash has appealed to the Cotton College State University (CCSU) to promote technology-mediated teaching and expand e-resource.

The university, which was established in 2011, held its first convocation here today.

Altogether 956 students received their masters degree, 574 bachelor's degree and 35 post-graduate diploma. A total of 73 students, who topped in various programmes, were conferred were gold medals.

While Prakash was the chief guest, Assam education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was present at the programme.

"According to 2011 data, 12 per cent of our population is in the 18 to 24 age group. It is expected that the labour force in India is likely to increase by 32 per cent over the next 20 years and India will have a productive population of 75 per cent by 2025," said Prakash.

Sarma asked the students not to take the government's decision to form the university in a negative way. "It is a process of development. It is very shameful that some people are criticising the move."

Many people, including many former Cotton College students have criticised the state government's decision to change the name from college to university. They claimed that Cotton College is linked with history of Assam and so should not be changed.

The current Cotton College State University vice-chancellor, Dhruba Jyoti Saikia's tenure expired last month but he will remain vice-chancellor in-charge.