MGNF joint convocation ceremony held across 9 IIMs including IIM Jammu

Celebrates Transformation of Tomorrow’s Leaders

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: The two-year Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF) programme recently concluded with a joint convocation ceremony held across the nine Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs).
The ceremony was graced by several dignitaries, including Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education, and Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Prof. T G Sitharam, Chairman of AICTE, K. Sanjay Murthy, Secretary of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education, Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary of MSDE, Nilambur Sharan, Senior Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and other officers from both the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and the Ministry of Education (MoE).
During the ceremony, 40 fellows from the IIM Jammu cohort were awarded certificates in Public Policy.
IIM Jammu also organized a 5-day pre-convocation workshop for the fellows at the IIM Jammu Jagti campus, where the work done by the fellows in their respective districts to improve the skill ecosystem was presented.
The convocation ceremony was attended by various dignitaries, including Prof. B. S. Sahay, Director of IIM Jammu, Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean Academics and Programme Director of MGNF, Dr. Muqbil Burhan, Programme Director of MGNF at IIM Jammu, and Dr. Shahid Jibran, Program Manager of MGNF.
Prof. Arnab Mukherjee, Program Director of MGNF at IIM Bangalore, emphasized the program’s commitment to developing the next generation of rural development leaders. The MGNF programme covered over 650 districts, where fellows focused on Planning, Persuasion, and Persistence (the 3P’s) to empower rural India and drive sustainable development.
Atul Kumar Tiwari praised the MGNF program as an ideal example of skilling and education in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. He highlighted the importance of skill development in promoting economic progress and acknowledged the MGNF fellows’ role in supporting “Skill Development” and “Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”
K. Sanjay Murthy appreciated the collaboration between State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs), the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), and premier educational institutions like IIMs as a model for industry-academia cooperation under NEP 2020.
The ceremony included the release of the MGNF Report by IIM Bangalore, which showcased the significant work undertaken by the MGNF fellows across the country, highlighting innovative projects, sustainable initiatives, and life-changing milestones in rural communities.
Dharmendra Pradhan congratulated the fellows and suggested linking their academic achievements with the National Bank of Credit. He emphasized the importance of digital skill development and women’s empowerment and encouraged all stakeholders to make skilling a mission for creating a healthy ecosystem in the country.
Nilambuj Sharan, Senior Economic Advisor in MSDE, delivered the vote of thanks, acknowledging the support from dignitaries and premier institutions.
The event concluded with the distribution of certificates to the MGNF fellows by Prof B.S. Sahay, Director of IIM Jammu, in the presence of Prof. Jabir Ali and Dr. Muqbil Burhan, Programme Directors of MGNF, IIM Jammu.