One moment of defiance at a Jaipur convocation ceremony has become a viral point of discussion. A graduating journalism student from Haridev Joshi University of Journalism and Mass Communication publicly called out the university for dual standards while receiving her degree on stage.

This unusual incident happened at the third convocation ceremony of Haridev Joshi University of Journalism and Mass Communication on Wednesday. In the viral video a student named Sara Ismail silently walked to the stage to receive her degree from Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa. While almost snatching the degree from the Deputy CM, she shouted aloud, “Beizzati karke izzat dene par university ka bahut-bahut shukriya.” Her ironic statement reflected the frustration and anger among students throughout the event.

Slogans and protest

The convocation event was organised at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jhalana Jaipur. Students and family members had come from across the state to attend the convocation. According to students, they had come to experience the traditional convocation, which involved receiving degrees on stage from the Governor. Students had even followed the dress code for the occasion, however, after almost two hours of ceremony, only the gold medallists were given degrees on stage, and the rest were asked to collect them separately. This caused discontent among the graduating students, who started raising slogans and demanded reconsideration.

After the video went viral, Ismail shared a video on her social media platform clarifying that her anger was not directed at any particular individual but stemmed from a collective disappointment. She noted that both family members and students had taken time from their busy schedules to attend and experience this milestone moment. However, when the university announced that non-gold medallists should collect their certificates backstage, it left students feeling sidelined.

When students started protesting and raising slogans, the administration decided to revise the earlier process. Since the Governor had departed, the Deputy Chief Minister stepped in to distribute degrees individually to students. However, by then, frustration and anger had already built up among students—a sentiment captured by Ismail’s remark that circulated widely on social media. HJU convocation was attended by the Governor of Rajasthan and Chancellor Haribhau Bagde. Since he had left by the time students protested, officials acknowledged the need for immediate adjustments to pacify the protesting students.

This video has opened a wider conversation about student expectations, how institutes convey their messages, and the importance of maintaining dignity in academic ceremonies.

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