Graduation Ceremony 2025
- Student Writers
- Aug 27, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 31, 2025
St. Xavier’s College , Mumbai, hosted its 13th Graduation Ceremony for pre-NEP batches on Saturday, 28th of June, 2025, celebrating the achievements of over 850 graduates from the Arts, Science, and Commerce faculties. Held across two sessions in the college’s historic hall, the event was also live-streamed online, allowing families and friends to join in from afar.
This year’s ceremony was especially significant, marking the final graduation of students under the pre-NEP curriculum. In 2026, the college will graduate its first cohort under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which was implemented during the 2023–24 academic year.
The graduation event has evolved significantly over time — what began as a three-day celebration in 2013 was restructured into a two-day event in 2023, and since 2024, has been streamlined into a single day with two well-coordinated sessions, thanks to careful planning and collaborative execution.
The Chief Guest for the first Session was Shri B. Venugopal Reddy, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary (Higher and Technical Education), Government of Maharashtra. In his address, he emphasized the importance of ethical public service and the need for apprenticeship-enabled programmes to build future-ready graduates. The Guest of Honour, Mr. Roger C. B. Pereira, a Xavierite from the Class of 1955 and a pioneer in brand communications, delivered a deeply personal speech, sharing how his time at Xavier’s shaped his life and career.
In the second Session, the Chief Guest was Prof. Aniruddha Pandit, Vice Chancellor of the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai. He encouraged students to pursue research and innovation with purpose and resilience, highlighting the critical role of science and creativity in a changing world.
The welcome address in both sessions was delivered by the Principal In-Charge, Prof. Dr. Karuna Gokarn, who praised students for their perseverance and acknowledged the efforts of the faculty during the recent academic transitions. She was joined by the Rector, Rev. Dr. Fr. Keith D’Souza, S.J., who encouraged graduates to carry forward the values of compassion, justice, and academic excellence.
Also addressing the gathering was Dr. Rajendra Shinde, former Principal of the college, who spoke of the institution’s recent strides in launching new undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, affirming the college’s ongoing commitment to academic growth. The dignitaries were introduced by Vice Principals Ms. Alpana Palkhiwala (Arts) and Mr. Marazban Kotwal (Science).
The ceremony concluded with a graduation pledge, the national anthem, and the academic procession led by NCC cadets. A formal Vote of Thanks was delivered by Dr. Bobby Mathew (Vice Principal, Academics) in Session I, and Dr. Sanjay Parab (Vice Principal, Commerce) in Session II.
Behind the scenes, a team of dedicated faculty members, supported by over 90 student volunteers, worked tirelessly to manage logistics, hospitality, documentation, and media coverage. The event was a true celebration not only of academic success, but also of the enduring Xavierite spirit of unity, tradition, and service.
