TIRUCHY: Governor RN Ravi conferred degrees to as many as 97,598 students, including 690 PhD scholars of Bharathidasan University here on Wednesday. The Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhiaan skipped the event, while the School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, who was expected to receive his doctorate, was also absent.

In his address, G Kannabiran, Director, National Assessment and Accreditation Council, said, the new model of governance through Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhisthan (VBSA) for higher education has clearly captured the essence of NEP 2020with higher education having public spirited and self governing autonomous institutions along with integrity, good governance, transparency and public disclosure.

He also said that the emerging governance model through the new higher education commission proposes a decentralised functioning in governance with a minimum level of centralisation. “The overarching commission would ensure a unified direction to the higher education system for its alignment with the national priorities”, Kannabiran said.

Though Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, who was set to get his PhD, was absent, his name was announced among the list of PhD scholars.

Governor Ravi who presided over the convocation, conferred degrees to as many as 780 including 690 PhD scholars in person and 96,818 in absentia.