Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], October 24 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, addressing the first convocation ceremony of KN University held at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar University, stated that the degrees awarded to students were not just a means of building their careers but also an opportunity to contribute to nation-building.
According to the release from the Chief Minister’s office, he urged young people to look beyond securing good jobs or establishing businesses and to combine knowledge with humility, success with compassion, and strength with responsibility. He emphasised that education is a powerful tool for building character, strengthening the nation and serving society.
Referring to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister further stated that the Prime Minister often reminds students, “In university examinations, questions are asked from the syllabus, but in the examination of life, everything is ‘out of syllabus’.” 
He added that while university progress is measured through grades and marks, success in life depends on continuous hard work and perseverance.
Lauding the Prime Minister’s 25 years of dedicated public service, the Chief Minister said that he had worked tirelessly for the nation and its people without taking a single day off. He noted that such dedication was rare anywhere in the world, the release said.
Drawing inspiration from the Prime Minister’s life, he urged young people to understand, “Hard work does not make you tired; rather, the satisfaction of working hard is a reward in itself.”
Speaking about the growing startup ecosystem, the Chief Minister expressed confidence that many graduates receiving their degrees today would pursue their own startup ventures or business plans. He said that the Prime Minister had launched several initiatives to empower the country’s youth through startups, science and skill development.
Highlighting the transformation in education and research in Gujarat, the Chief Minister said that under the Prime Minister’s guidance, education, research and skill development had become key pillars of the state’s development. The emphasis on higher education since the Prime Minister’s tenure as Chief Minister has enabled private universities, including K.N. University, to provide world-class education. Today, around 110 universities are operational in Gujarat. 
Emphasising the National Education Policy, the Chief Minister said that it places emphasis on India’s knowledge traditions, the mother tongue and modern science. He added that emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, robotics, space technology and green energy were creating new opportunities for young people, helping them become ‘job creators’ rather than just ‘job seekers’.
The Chief Minister urged youth to recognise that they have a key role in realising the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat @ 2047’. He extended his best wishes to all graduates and encouraged them to uphold integrity, combine knowledge with compassion, and contribute to building a ‘Viksit Gujarat’ as a step towards a ‘Viksit Bharat’.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister and other dignitaries awarded 9 gold, 6 silver and 7 bronze medals to 22 meritorious students across various disciplines. Additionally, 94 students were awarded degrees in different disciplines, the release said. (ANI)