IIT Delhi Convocation 2026: PM Modi urges graduates to question, learn and innovate

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi hosted its 57th convocation ceremony, with Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi attending the event as the chief guest. Addressing the IIT graduates, he said students should retain curiosity, continue learning, and question ideas that are accepted without scrutiny.

PM Modi encouraged students to go beyond simply raising questions and develop the confidence to explore and seek solutions. He said that curiosity and willingness to learn would remain valuable even as technology, industries and professional fields continue to change rapidly.

He also urged the IIT graduates to preserve this spirit of curiosity that brought them to IIT and use it to explore new ideas, challenge conventional thinking, and contribute meaningfully. Speaking at the IIT Delhi convocation, Modi said, “In 30-35 years, what you do and what decisions you make will affect the journey towards India becoming Viksit Bharat.”

Speaking to the graduating batch, he said, "You all are not merely receiving a degree; you are leaving here with dreams of doing a lot for the country.” Modi wished more females were part of the medallists and awardees at the convocation.

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IIT Delhi convocation highlights

A total of 3,036 graduating students, including 587 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) scholars, were conferred their degrees at IIT Delhi’s 57th convocation. PM Narendra Modi also inaugurated ‘Param Pragya’, an AI-powered high-performance facility at IIT Delhi's Sonipat campus, marking another step towards strengthening India’s capabilities in advanced research and artificial intelligence (AI).

He further highlighted how the rise of unicorns, digital payments, and the fintech sector has opened up new opportunities for millions of young Indians to pursue ambitious careers.

Modi also pointed to the establishment of the National Research Foundation as an important step towards boosting scientific research in the country and said Rs 1 lakh crore in funding is being arranged for the research sector.

He also talked about the ‘one nation one subscription’ initiative intended to provide access to leading international research journals to institutions across the country, including those in smaller towns, without any additional cost.