Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University (BRAOU) is gearing up for its 26th convocation ceremony, scheduled for Tuesday, September 30th. The esteemed event will be graced by Telangana Governor and University Chancellor, Jishnu Dev Varma, who will personally award Ph.D. degrees, prestigious gold medals, and special book prizes to deserving graduates.
Adding to the grandeur, Uma Kanjilal, the distinguished Vice-Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University, will deliver the convocation address as the chief guest. Furthermore, Professor Ghanta Chakrapani, Vice-Chancellor of BRAOU, proudly announced that honorary Doctor of Letters degrees will be bestowed upon acclaimed Telugu lyricist and poet Goreti Venkanna, and renowned peace educator Prem Rawat. This recognition highlights their significant contributions to both literature and global social betterment.
This year’s convocation celebrates the achievements of a remarkable 60,288 candidates from the 2023–24 academic year. The graduating class includes 35,346 undergraduates and 24,942 postgraduates, along with diploma and certificate holders. A truly diverse group, 32,373 of these graduates are women, and seven are transgender learners. A particularly heartwarming highlight is the graduation of 203 prison inmates, two of whom will even be awarded gold medals for their exceptional academic performance.
The ceremony will be a testament to academic excellence, with 86 gold medals being distributed: 35 for outstanding undergraduate achievements and 51 for postgraduate distinction. Additionally, 53 Ph.D. scholars and two M.Phil candidates will proudly receive their well-earned research degrees.
Since its establishment in 1982–83, BRAOU has been a beacon of accessible education, having awarded over 5.9 lakh degrees. The university consistently champions inclusive learning, offering unique programs tailored for prisoners, tribal communities, women, transgender individuals, persons with disabilities, and military personnel. In a pioneering move, all certificates issued at this convocation will leverage cutting-edge blockchain technology, ensuring unparalleled security and authenticity for every graduate.