Temper enthusiastic adoption of technology with ethical vigilance, says V-P

Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan on Monday urged the youth, who were navigating a world where every aspect of human life was being reshaped by Artificial Intelligence, automation, biotechnology, and digital connectivity, to temper enthusiastic adoption of technology with ethical vigilance.

Delivering the 30th convocation address at Pondicherry University, the Vice-President and Chancellor of the university cautioned the graduates to use digital tools to enhance productivity and connectivity, but not at the expense of their capacity for deep thinking and meaningful engagement with society.

During the course of his address, in which he often drew from ancient Tamil wisdom, notably the Sangam-era poetic work Nalatiyar, the Vice-President urged the students to remember that while knowledge is limitless, the time available to acquire it was limited. Therefore, graduates should assimilate only what is valuable, ethical, and meaningful from the vast ocean of information, he said.

Exhorting the graduates to become architects of the ‘Viksit Bharat’ mission, the Vice-President emphasised that development becomes meaningful when it is inclusive of all sections of society. Whatever be the vocation, the contributions of the youth “carry immense responsibility and extraordinary opportunity”, he said.

Referring to the transformative potential of the National Education Policy, 2020, in ensuring that education is for all and not for a privileged few, the Vice-President termed the NEP a major shift from rote memorisation to critical thinking, from rigid boundaries to multidisciplinary learning, and from examination-centred learning to holistic development. “As graduates, you must become its ambassadors to carry forward its spirit of inquiry, innovation, and inclusive excellence,” he said.

Congratulating the graduates for successfully completing a significant phase of their academic journey, Mr. Radhakrishnan also reminded them that a convocation was not merely a celebration of academic achievement, but a solemn occasion that “marks your readiness to shoulder greater responsibility”, and a “new beginning”.

“As you receive your degrees today, you are being entrusted with the duty to apply your knowledge for the progress of society and the nation,” he said.

Stating that life would always be filled with challenges and competitors, the Vice-President urged the youth to never take shortcuts to succeed. “Success of this nature will induce a false sense of victory, only for failure to deliver a crippling blow one day,” he said.

One word of advice that he said he had been giving to the youth everywhere was to say ‘No’ to drugs. “Not only should you be free of drugs, but also, you should dissuade others from the habit,” he added.

G. Satheesh Reddy, Member, National Security Advisory Board, and president of the Aeronautical Society of India, said India was at a tipping point, where it needed to transition from a developing to a developed nation by 2047. He pointed to the growing defence exports and the expansion of the start-up ecosystem as areas where the nation was excelling.

Pondicherry University Vice-Chancellor P. Prakash Babu presented a report on the occasion.

Lt. Governor K. Kailashnathan, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, Speaker R. Selvam, Home Minister A. Namassivayam, MP S. Selvaganabathy, PML Kalyanasundaram, and Chief Secretary Sharat Chauhan participated in the event.

The Vice-President also inaugurated the Mahakavi Subramania Bharati International Convention Centre, the venue for the convocation, and a 100-foot-high flag mast on the campus.

The convocation was held for the academic years 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, with 73,527 candidates being conferred degrees in various disciplines. A total of 746 candidates were awarded Ph.Ds, and gold medals were presented to 191 toppers from 2021; 191 candidates from 2022; 192 from 2023; and 186 from 2024 across various disciplines, including UG and PG programmes.

Prior to the convocation ceremony, the Vice-President inaugurated the Senior Secondary Block of Petit Seminaire CBSE School, and unveiled the statue of Subramania Bharati at the Bharatiyar memorial in the city.

Published – December 29, 2025 07:43 pm IST