Skills are crucial in today’s fast-changing world: V-C of the University of Mysore
The Hindu
St. Philomena's College 11th convocation awards 589 students, emphasizing skills over marks, with prestigious guest speakers present.
The 11th convocation of St. Philomena’s College in the city was held on Saturday, during which 589 students were awarded various degrees upon successful completion of their courses.
While 406 candidates completed their degree courses and received certificates, 183 candidates completed their postgraduation studies. The college also awarded gold medals to 45 students, including 34 undergraduates and 11 postgraduates, in recognition of their exceptional performance.
Manpreet Singh Manna, Vice-Chancellor of Chandigarh University, delivered the convocation address and described it as a life-changing event of which the students should be proud.
He said along with the prestigious tag of being the alumni of St. Philomena’s College, they are also products of the University of Mysore, which is one of the most reputed varsities, and hence students have the responsibility of living up to the values infused in them by the institutions.
N.K. Lokanath, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mysore, said while marks are important, skills are crucial in today’s fast-changing world.
Being a graduate of a university sets one apart from millions who go through the grind of attending to their daily chores without leaving any mark in their field, he said.
As graduates individuals have attained requisite education and should serve the society, said Prof. Lokanath. “I count the students who have received the education here as extremely lucky because of the academic ambience and the intellectual ecosystem at St. Philomena’s College,” he said.

I don’t know what difference second and third languages made to our lives. I struggled with Hindi in high school because I ran out of my small repertoire of Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar songs to borrow from. The average city Indian speaks three or four languages and has a nodding acquaintance with a couple more. Most of my fellow-students found second and third languages irrelevant to their future careers. But such things become clear only in later life. It is the choice that is important.