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'Poor' Bangalore University has no gold medals for toppers

  • After the convocation ceremony, disheartened students staged a flash protest.
  • One university official stated that toppers will have to pay for their gold medals. 
no gold medal to all toppers at bangalore university convocation

 

The surge in gold rates has taken a toll on Bangalore University’s toppers at the 52nd convocation. Out of the total 203 toppers of the university, less than 100 were given the medal that led to a flash protest by the toppers on the spot. Those students who were not conferred gold medals were given cheques. 

 

According to various reports, the reason given by the University for not awarding gold medals to all the toppers is that it has no money to afford the medals. After the convocation, the disheartened student protested following which the Vice Chancellor of the University B Thimme Gowda talked to the media. 

 

The VC said, “It costs around Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 for each gold medal, and all the first rank holders from the university were given medals. However, the university can’t bear the expenses of buying gold medals that have been instituted by donors.” as quoted by The New Indian Express.

 

According to the Deccan Chronicle report, the university registrar professor Ningegowda clarified that the hike in gold prices and fall of the interest rate of banks played its part and the bank deposits made by the donors did not earn the required interest to purchase gold medal. Therefore, the university gave the interest amount to the toppers through cheques.  

 

Another University official confirmed that those students who want a gold medal can pay the difference between the interest rate and the actual cost of the medal to get the gold medal. This statement further created commotion among students, and only after the VC assured that the university would look into the matter, the students calmed down.    
 

Another report in Deccan Herald claimed that the medals that were distributed among the first rank holders are gold-coated silver medals. Also, that the university purchased these medals given to the first rankers, and when they wrote to the families of the donors about the fund deficiency, they refused to add more money to their respective funds.  

 

The convocation was attended by students from all across the state who have worked hard to secure top ranks. Many were also accompanied by their parents and family members to see them receive their gold medal. However, the function was a letdown for most of the medal winners since the university did not award the medals to all the deserving students.

 

Interestingly, this is not the first time when Bangalore University toppers had to settle for cash than gold medals as previously also sighting the same issue the university denied medals to its toppers. 

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