Education is lifelong learning process — Patton

Our Reporter
Dimapur, March 28 (EMN): Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton said that that education does not stop after one graduates or acquires a PhD degree but it is a lifelong learning process.

‘The moment you feel content, it will invariably take a pause and the more you read, the more you know and it makes you realise how little you know,’ he said and urged to have this intellectual hunger in life.

Patton was speaking at the first convocation ceremony for the graduates of undergraduate, postgraduate, and MPhil degrees of St. Joseph University at the St. Joseph University campus, Ikishe Model village, Chümoukedima on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion as special guest, Patton said the future of the state and the country was intertwined with them as leaders of tomorrow and urged all of them to ‘shape it properly and be guided by ambition but never be totally governed by it’.

‘You should strike a balance and that striking of balance is contentment in life’, he stated.

Patton went on to say that the purpose of education must be to engage in life building, character building and assimilation of ideas with an ultimate goal of having an ideal society. He added that the maturity of a society has to be judged in terms of the consciousness of the young generation towards their obligations and duties towards society.

He said that it was a defining moment for all the graduating students and a day of celebration.

Patton added that their hard labour had resulted in obtaining the honour from the prestigious University, which in itself was an accomplishment. He said it was also a day to look back on the various challenges they had overcome and look forward to those that lie ahead knowing that ‘you have acquired the required skills and knowledge to meet them’.

At the event, Patton also assured to look into the road condition towards the University.

Rev. Leopoldo Girelli , the Apostolic Nuncio to India who was the guest of honour for the programme in his brief remark, urged the students to uphold the cherished values of love, truth, self-sacrifice, and make the world a better place.

The pro-chancellor of the university, Most Rev. Dr. James Thoppil in his keynote address mentioned that the objective behind establishing the university was to provide affordable higher education to the youths.

The vice chancellor of the university, Dr. D. Gnanadurai, while presenting the report of the university mentioned that when it started in 2016, there were only 42 students and three courses, but over the years it has grown to more than 3300 students, 19 courses, and 146 teaching faculty.

St. Joseph University, Nagaland is run by the Sisters of DMI (Daughters of Mary Immaculate) and the Fathers of MMI (Missionaries of Mary Immaculate) of the Catholic Church, under philanthropic societies and is one of the five universities in Nagaland.

There were altogether 1016 graduates from 19 disciplines and they were felicitated for bringing laurels through their academic excellence and achievements. 37 graduates were awarded with gold medals and 36 with silver medals.