President Murmu to grace CTUAP’s first convocation; 373 students to receive degrees

President Droupadi Murmu will grace the first convocation of the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh (CTUAP) at V Convention, in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday (June 30, 2026), marking a significant milestone in the academic journey of the seven-year-old Central University.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer and State Education Minister Nara Lokesh are expected to attend the ceremony.

A total of 373 students will receive degrees and certificates during the convocation, while 13 students will be presented gold medals, university officials said at a curtain-raiser press conference on Monday.

Established to expand access to higher education for tribal communities and promote inclusive and region-specific academic development, the University is currently functioning from its transit campus at Kondakarakam in Vizianagaram district. It offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes across various disciplines, with a special emphasis on tribal studies, the preservation of indigenous culture and knowledge systems, and sustainable development.

Speaking to The Hindu, Chancellor Madan Lal Meena said the University had around 690 students on its rolls. “The permanent campus, located about 40 kilometres from Vizianagaram, is under construction and nearly 70% of the work has been completed. We expect to shift to the new campus by December 2026,” he said. The academic buildings, administrative block, and boys’ and girls’ hostels would be ready by December, and the entire project is expected to be completed by May 2027.

Mr. Meena said the University’s focus extended beyond higher education. “Our emphasis is to promote and preserve tribal culture while introducing modern technologies such as organic farming and other sustainable practices that can benefit tribal communities across the region,” he said.

Officiating Vice-Chancellor T. Sreenivasan described the convocation as a landmark occasion for the institution. “This is the University’s first convocation… We are awarding 373 degrees and certificates, along with 13 gold medals,” he said, adding that nearly 20% to 28% of the graduating students belonged to tribal communities.

Officiating Registrar Jitendra Mohan Mishra called it a significant milestone. “After more than seven years of its existence and five graduating batches, the University is organising its first convocation,” he said. He added that the event was significant not only for the University but also for the region as a whole.