LAHORE - Girls again outshined boys in academics at the 11th Convocation of the Government College University (GCU) as they clinched top positions in 17 of 27 disciplines at BA/BSc (Hons) level, while boys as usual shined in co-curricular activities and sports.
Vice chancellor Dr Khaleequr Rahman presided over the convocation which was co-chaired by Dean Prof Dr Islam Ullah Khan. Registrar Prof Anjum Nisar conducted the traditional convocation proceedings, while Controller Examinations Prof Dr AS Bukhari was also present.
The convocation report highlighted that boys secured top positions only in ten disciplines. However, boys secured 14 of 20 co-curricular rolls of honor and all ten sports rolls of honor.   
In his convocation address, the VC said education and democracy had symbiotic relationship and an ideal democracy could only be sown in the third world polity through the promotion of high quality education among all tears of society. He demanded the budgetary allocation for education should be minimum 4 percent of GDP in the next budget and government grants for universities should be doubled to cover deficits.   
Prof Rahman said that this was a knowledge-driven world and the divide between the rich and the poor countries today was simply a knowledge divide. “Only those countries that have invested in education have progressed rapidly,” he added.
The VC said it was a unique seat of higher learning where students hailing from divergent ethnic, sectarian and cultural backgrounds had always studied together in the most congenial atmosphere and groomed as the finest individuals known for their spirit of inquiry, tolerance and an enviable sense of sacrifice.  He said that GCU’s invaluable contribution in the realm of art and literature had been unrivaled. “The cultural milieu of this historical institution has inspired many a literary notable to explore their innate gift,” he added.
He said most important and potential source of institutional development was industry linkage which had so far been untapped in Pakistan. He said that GCU was taking a qualitative leap forward by developing strong linkages with industry through general support, contract research, research centers and institutes, research consortium, industrial affiliate programs and new business incubators and technology parks.  He said that GCU had signed 29 agreements with industry and research institutes n the last two years to promote research and academic activities
Later, toppers Bilal Azam (Applied Management), Madeeha Ahmed (Biotechnology), Annam Zikera (Botany), Abdul Rahman (Business, Accounting & Finance), Sidra Tariq (Chemistry). Ajmal Ismail (Computer Science), Muhammad Imran (Economics), Fatima Saeed (English), Asifa Alam and Sidra Saddique (Environmental Science), Aqsa Naeem (Electronics), Taha Naeem (Electrical Engineering), Muhammad Yahya (Geography), Malik Rehan (History ), Rabia Khanum (Islamic Studies), Ambreen Ahmed (Mathematics), Saba Safdar (Microbiology), Bashart Fatima (Philosophy), Adeel Aikbar (Political Science), Amna Malik (Physics), Madhia Masood (Psychology), Jamshaid Ali (Urdu), Ishaq (Statistics), Madhia Sana (Zoology), Iqra Zahid (Telecommunication) and Hira Tanweer (Business Administration) received gold medals and rolls of honour from the vice chancellor.
Zahid Ali, Maryam, Saad-ul-Hassan, Burhan Ahmad, Zinnia Mansoor, Ali Zafar, Hafiz Usman Afzal, Nayyab Faiza Aslam, Adeel Shaharyar, Hafiz Habib-ur-Rehman, Muhammad Umar Jee Salimi, Ahsan Raza, Gadhaun Aslam, Zohrain Bhaur, Arham Abtahi, Ali Akhtar, Saba Dar, Saad Jamal, Taswar Iqbal and Maham Naz received medals and rolls of honors for their extraordinary performance in co-curricular activities.   
About 57 scholars were awarded degrees of doctor of philosophy in various subjects of science, arts and literature. The VC also awarded sports rolls of honour to ten students.