Graduating students of St Xavier’s College came from places like Bangalore and Rourkela to attend the on-campus convocation although the college made arrangements for live streaming of the ceremony.
The students said they missed the college for two years because of the pandemic and the convocation ensured a reunion of sorts that they did not want to miss.
Devesh Newatia, who graduated with commerce last year and has bagged a job in Bangalore since, came from Bangalore on Friday so he could attend the convocation.
“The ceremony has been live streamed on YouTube. Degree certificates are also sent in absentia for those who cannot attend. But I came to the campus to catch up with my friends whom I last met in March 2020. It was worth coming,” said Devesh.
He was standing next to Ashish Barwa, who came from Rourkela in Odisha.
“I wanted to meet my friends from the hostel. The closure of the campus had ended our hostel life early,” said Ashish Barwa. He went to the hostel with friends after the ceremony got over.
Father Dominic Savio, the principal of the college said, although they made arrangements for 3000-odd students, students came in excess.
Students at the convocation ceremony on Saturday. Picture by Bishwarup Dutta
Aditi Podder, a graduating student who is from Calcutta, said she came to the campus to catch a glimpse of those green benches that are an integral part of the college.
“We sat on those benches to chat and relive our college days. I was getting nostalgic,” said Aditi, who graduated in commerce.
The students who assembled on the ground tossed the convocation cap in the air in unison as a mark of the celebration.
Parthapratim Basu, a student of statistics who completed undergraduate and postgraduate programmes from the college, said: “Classes were held successfully over the online platforms. But the bonding with teachers and friends was missed over the past two years. We all wanted to make up for what we missed out on as much as possible”.
The fact that students were gifted the convocation gown as memento this time acted as an added attraction, said another student.
On previous occasions students were asked to return the gown after the ceremony.
“At first we were worried whether the ceremony would be held in a truncated fashion, as was the case last year, in view of the pandemic. But it was held on a full scale and we were given the convocation gown free of cost,” said a student who graduated in science.
Last year from every department, the first 20 students, based on the marks secured, were invited to avoid assembly.