Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee with vice-chancellor Surabhi Banerjee during the first convocation of Central University in Koraput. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, July 10: Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee called for public-private partnership models in the field of higher education under the effective supervision of the government today. He was delivering the first convocation address at the Central University of Orissa (CUO) in Koraput.

Mukherjee also emphasised implementation of Right to Education Act and the need to introduce quality and equity in higher education. He said India, over the next 30 years, would see a sharp decline in the dependency ratio, and this would constitute a major demographic dividend for the country.

“However, this can be realised only if it is supplemented with skill enhancement in young men and women through the medium of education. With rising population, the role of youth has become more important than ever. Universities in the country could play a great role in updating the youth for reaping the demographic dividend with a long term planning and bold decisions,” said Mukherjee.

The Union minister congratulated the university authorities for introducing quite a few programmes for tribal and community development. He inaugurated the school of bio-diversity at CUO in collaboration with M.S. Swaminathan Foundation.

University vice-chancellor Surabhi Banerjee said efforts are on to develop CUO with a pan-Indian outlook as well as a globalised perspective. “We will not be just any other university among the numerous run-of-the-mill institutions,” she said. Degrees were conferred on 126 students in the first convocation function of Central University today on its main campus in Koraput. Six students — two from School of Languages and four from School of Social Science — were awarded gold medals.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik and governor M.C. Bhandare were also present on this occasion and addressed the students.