Hyderabad: 148 prisoners receive degrees from BRAOU at 25th convocation

Hyderabad: Thursday ushers in a new chapter in the lives of 148 prisoners as they walk down the aisle to receive their hard earned degrees at the 25th convocation of Dr. BR Ambedkar Open University (BRAOU).

These prisoners, who are serving varying sentences, having successfully completed their education with the BRAOU turn undergraduates and postgraduates.

The university will confer UG degree on 126 and PG degree on 22 prisoners of Central prison Cherlapally and Warangal in Telangana, and Central prison in Rajahmundry and Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh. Apart from degrees, two prisoners also secured gold medals for their academic excellence.

As many as 31,789 candidates are eligible to receive degrees, diplomas or certificates for the year 2019-22. A total of 19 candidates in UG and 24 in PG courses will be presented gold medals.

This year, the university is conferring Honoris Causa on noted educationist Prof. VS Prasad for his achievement and exemplary services in the field of higher education through open distance learning. UGC Chairman Prof. M Jagadesh Kumar and Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan, who is also Chancellor of the university, will take part in the ceremony.

During an interaction with media persons on Tuesday, Dr. BRAOU Vice Chancellor Prof. K Seetharama Rao urged the State government to increase the budget for the university that has been extending quality higher education to the rural students.

He also urged the AP government to release its dues to the tune of Rs.250 crore to the university that extended services to AP students as part of AP Reorganization Act 2014. However, citing a court case, the AP government was not releasing its due, he said.

With 10 years of common admissions as laid down in the AP Reorganisation Act 2014 concluding next year, the university will not be enrolling AP students. “Starting next year, admissions will be carried out only for Telangana students,” officials said.

Currently, more than 50,000 students enrolled in 76 study centres of the BRAOU in AP. If the AP government establishes its own open university, AP students would be transferred there, officials added.