Nagpur: A degree is proof of academic achievement, but true capability comes through experience, continuous learning and collaboration, said NITI Aayog member Dr R Balasubramaniam while addressing the 24th convocation of Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur, on Tuesday.Speaking on Engineers’ Day and the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Sir M Visvesvaraya, Balasubramaniam urged graduating students to combine technical knowledge with sound judgement, integrity and responsibility, and focus on solving real-world problems.Referring to VNIT’s motto, ‘Excellence in Action’, he urged students to perform their work with skill and dedication without becoming overly attached to outcomes.He called upon the graduates to use their education to improve systems, pursue meaningful research and contribute to society, while combining technological expertise with responsibility and integrity.Chairperson, Board of Governors, Madabhushi Madan Gopal, urged the graduates to become creators of technology and active contributors to India’s development. He stressed that technological capabilities must be backed by ethics, accountability, sustainability and empathy, while asking students to remain connected to the country’s cultural and intellectual heritage.VNIT director Prof Prem Lal Patel said the institute introduced five undergraduate and three postgraduate programmes in emerging areas, including AI and Data Science, Mathematics and Computing, VLSI Design and Technology, Engineering Physics and Bioprocess Technology.The institute’s innovation ecosystem also expanded, with 100 student teams registering for prototype funding, around 50 pitching their ideas and 26 being selected for funding. VNIT Ventures Vault Foundation (V3F), its dedicated incubation centre, was inaugurated, while the institute secured ₹5 crore under the DST-NIDHI TBI scheme for healthcare product development and technology transfer.Research remained a major focus, with 34 patents granted to VNIT faculty and 94 ongoing R&D projects worth around ₹60 crore in areas including electric mobility, wireless charging, 6G, AI, renewable energy, quantum technology and healthcare. Eight faculty members featured in Stanford University-Elsevier’s World’s Top 2% Scientists list for 2025.The 2026 placement season saw 170 organisations offer 843 jobs. The highest package was ₹58.30 lakh per annum and the average package ₹10.45 lakh. The highest internship stipend was ₹2 lakh per month.The institute also awarded the Rupa Rahul Bajaj Scholarship to 13 meritorious women engineering students, with scholarships totalling ₹24.91 lakh.
