HYDERABAD, Dec 21: Three hundred and eleven students received degrees at the eighth convocation of the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology in Jamshoro on Wednesday.

Professor emeritus Dr S. M. Qureshi, chairman of the Charter Inspection and Evaluation Committee, Sindh education department, was the chief guest who awarded gold and silver medals and merit certificates to position holders.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Qureshi said this was an era of science and technology and the nations enjoying a sound base in this field had an edge over the others.

He said universities had not only to respond to socio-economic and technological issues and problems but they also had to cater to the needs of human resource developments of the society. The universities were required to train and produce manpower essential for sustaining a just and progressive society embodied with supreme human values and traditions, he added.

Dr Qureshi said the government was giving priority to higher education and added that huge funds and resources had been allocated to upgrade and develop universities.

He said the government was committed to raising the standard of education and making it accessible to all segments of the society. He said spending on education would be increased to 10 per cent of the GDP.

He said that through linkage programmes, avenues would be established for exchanging faculty members, holding joint seminars/workshops and introducing split PhD programmes.

Dr Qureshi congratulated recipients of degrees and medals.

Vice-chancellor Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan Rajput in his welcome speech highlighted achievements of the university and appreciated the government’s efforts in the field of education.

He said faculty members had benefited from visiting foreign universities which had agreed to offer split PhD programmes and reduced tuition fee by 33 per cent.

RESULTS: The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Hyderabad, on Wednesday announced for formation of elible candidates who failed the SSC-II supplementary examinations and intended to appear in the annual examinations of 2006 that the last date for submitting examinations forms without late fee was Jan 18, with a late fee of Rs200 Feb 18 and with a late fee of Rs400 Feb 28.