Cuttack/Bhubaneswar, Aug. 10: Biju Patnaik University of Technology is set to hold its convocation ceremony on August 12, much to the relief of the 2010 batch graduates, who had to wait for two years to get their degrees.

“On Sunday, we would award degrees to the graduates of 2010 and 2011 batches. While 33 students would receive gold medals, six others would get PhD degrees. The rest would have to collect their certificates from their respective colleges,” said P.K. Satpathy, registrar of the varsity.

Chairman of Steel Authority of India Limited Chandrashekhar Verma has been invited as chief guest at the function to be held at Civic Centre in Rourkela. Governor M.C. Bhandare would also attend the event. “We, however, do not have the concept of conferring honorary degrees to eminent personalities,” Satpathy said.

On August 13, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack would conduct its fifth convocation, which was earlier scheduled for May 14. It had to be postponed because of unavailability of dates from the governor, who is the chancellor of all the state universities.

This is the first time in four years that the graduation ceremony of this premier educational institution has been delayed. It is usually held between March and May.

Director of the Indian Institute of Science-Bangalore Padmanabhan Balaram will be the chief guest at Ravenshaw’s function.

Registrar Smarapriya Mishra said honoris causa will be conferred on 10 personalities from different walks of life.

The list includes Justice Deba Priya Mohapatra, attorney-general of India Goolam Essaji Vahanvati, former speaker of Odisha Rabi Ray, freedom fighter Baishnab Charan Patnaik, chief information commissioner Satyananda Mishra and mathematician Gokulananda Mohapatra among others.

Degrees and gold medals would be awarded to 56 toppers of the 2011 batch, Mishra added.

“Senior officials and others have been assigned multiple responsibilities to ensure that all preparations are completed in time,” said an official at Ravenshaw.

Students, too, are relieved. “It was really frustrating when the convocation date was earlier postponed at the last minute. Almost all universities in the state have conducted their convocations already,” said Sritam Sahu, a student.

Last year, legal expert Indira Jaisingh, academician Prabhat Nalini Das, former chief secretary of Odisha Lalatendu Parija, author Manoj Das, theatre personality Girish Karnad, physician Mukund Sadasiv Joshi and ophthalmologist Taraprasad Das were awarded honorary degrees.