New Delhi (The Hawk): 63rd convocation of the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Deemed to be University was held in Mumbai today. 255 students were awarded degrees/diplomas this year. Gold and silver medals were awarded to students for excellence in research and academic work. Prof. Balram Bhargava, Secretary, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India and Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research presided over the function.
Prof. Bhargava, in his presidential address, congratulated the students who received degrees, diplomas and medals, and appealed to them to use the high-quality education, training and research received at the Institute to its maximum potential in the service of the people. He appreciated the contribution of IIPS in training population scientists and evidence based population research in the country since 1956.
Prof. Bhargava emphasized that various population parameters have improved in the country in the recent times as shown by the recent National Family Health Survey (2019-21). However, emerging non-communicable diseases like Covid-19 pose a challenge, he said. He added, “More and more high quality research is needed in these areas as well as mapping their differentials by gender, social and regional disparities for the national planning and policy formation”.
Dr. K. Vijay Raghavan, Former Principal Scientific Advisor to Government of India & Emeritus Professor, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru delivered the convocation address. He congratulated the students and medal winners in the convocation. He appreciated IIPS and its role for development and monitoring various government programmes in health and social sectors.Â
Dr. Raghavan highlighted the problems of biodiversity degradation, climate change, differentials in high quality education and labour force participation, diseases, wars and the huge developmental gaps between rich and poor countries. He said, “Having access to high quality research, training and education can mitigate the challeges in our country and globally”. He advised that knowledge, research and training available at instituttion like IITs, AIIMSs, and IIPS should not be limited to their campus, but must reach to colleges and universities located in remotest areas of the country.
Prof. K. S. James, Director IIPS, presented the activities and achievements of the Institute for the year 2021-22.
About IIPS:
The International Institute of Population Sciences is an autonomous organization of Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.  It offers four regular programmes- M.A. / M.Sc in Population Sciences, Master of Population Studeis, MSc (Biostatistics & Demography) and Ph.D. The Institute also offers two masters programme through distance learning, and two diploma courses of National Institute of Public Health Training and Research, Mumbai IIPS has been in the forefront of several key surveys including the National Family Health Survey, District Level Household Survey, Assessment of National Rural Health Mission, among others.