Summary
Happiness centres will help inculcate positive thoughts in students and encourage talks on mental health
The governor was speaking at the convocation of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University where 109 students were conferred medals
Uttar Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel has stressed on the importance of setting up “Happiness Centres” in universities and colleges across the state in a bid to inculcate positive thinking in students and encourage talks on mental health.
Addressing the 86th convocation of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University in Agra on December 21, Patel also asked teachers to discuss the problems faced by students for a better future.
"The students should be filled with self-confidence and believe in positive thinking. They should work with honesty," said Patel, the chancellor of all state universities in UP.
Giving due importance to mental health and positive-thinking, several reputed engineering colleges and B-schools across India have come up with happiness centres for students in recent years. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur already has a happiness centre since 2016, while the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ranchi inaugurated one earlier this month.
Besides throwing light on the importance of happiness centres in educational institutions, Patel also suggested teachers take help from tech-savvy students in learning about the latest technology.
The governor stressed on the cleaning of the Yamuna river and asked the university administration to visit the ghats once every month to clean the area and plant saplings.
Expressing discontentment over the delay in providing certificates to students, Patel directed the university to provide degree certificates to the students for free by making use of the Centre's DigiLocker facility.
During the convocation, 109 medals were conferred to meritorious students of the university. A total of 95 students were conferred gold medals, while 14 students bagged silver medals for their academic performance in the year 2020-2021.
Shivani Singh, a final year student of MBBS in Sarojini Naidu Medical College in Agra, was presented 13 medals. She was conferred 12 gold and one silver medal on the occasion.
"I was so happy after receiving the medals. I got full support from my parents, brothers and friends to achieve this feat. Now, I want to pursue post-graduation and become a surgeon. Since my childhood, I have aspired to become a doctor," said Shivani.
Last updated on 22 Dec 2021
