JNU to celebrate 2nd convocation; a gap of 46 years; radical speech

The second convocation of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) after a gap of 46 years will be hosted by the university. The authorities said that this will be an attempt to revive and "celebrate" all that is positive about one of India’s premier educational institutions.

The university's JNU Rector-II, SC Garkoti, who is also serving as the chairperson of the steering committee responsible for the smooth conduct of the event, said this year's convocation would be only to confer PhD degrees on students, but it would be expanded to other courses from next year.

The first and only convocation at JNU was held in 1972, when noted actor and theatre personality Balraj Sahni had given the convocation address, which Kamal Mitra Chenoy, a professor at the Centre for Comparative Politics and Political Theory, describes at a "radical speech".

The president of the JNU student's union Geeta Kumari said they did not have a problem with holding a convocation "but it depends on who they call as the guests".