IISc director to Adani graduates: do not become prompt engines, control AI
By TUF News Desk · Published 1 November 2026 · 4 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
The chief guest at Adani University’s third convocation had a warning for the 374 students collecting their degrees in Ahmedabad on Saturday: use artificial intelligence, but do not hand your thinking over to it. Prof Govindan Rangarajan, director of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, told the graduating class, “We should not become prompt engines. We should control AI.”
Rangarajan compared AI to Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, the two faces of the same character in the classic story. The comparison was his way of saying that one technology can help and harm at the same time, and that universities need to rethink what they are for when knowledge itself is no longer scarce.
A tutor that never tires
His case for AI was generous. He said it can act as a personal tutor, one that is patient and available at all hours, and that it can explain a concept arguably better than any teacher. When a phone can explain almost anything, the value of a degree shifts from memorising answers to judging them.
Then came the other side of the comparison. When images, videos and text can be generated so convincingly that they look real, he asked, how do we know what is true? He also warned against offloading all thinking to a machine, and asked students to cherish human relationships even as digital tools bring people closer on screen. The point was plain: AI should stay a tool in the student’s hands, and the thinking should stay with the student.
374 degrees and 10 medals
Adani University conferred 374 degrees on the Class of 2026 at the ceremony, across its engineering, technology and management programmes. Ten students received medals for academic excellence: five gold, three silver and two bronze.
Dr Priti Adani, president of the university, presided over the ceremony and welcomed Rangarajan as chief guest. She spoke about the shift toward physical AI, where computing, sensors and robotics meet real-world infrastructure, and argued that scientific judgement will remain the real differentiator for graduates entering that world. Provost Prof Dhaval Pujara presented the university’s annual report at the ceremony.
Adani University is a private university in Ahmedabad, established in 2022, with a stated focus on industry-relevant education, practical learning and research. Details of its programmes are published on the official Adani University website.
What graduates should take from it
For students leaving university this year, the speech lands on a practical question. AI will already be part of their first jobs, whether they write code, prepare reports or analyse data. The graduates who do well with it will probably be the ones who use it to draft and check work, and then take responsibility for the result. Work that is only prompted output is easy to produce and easy to spot, and it teaches nothing.
The same test applies to students still choosing their next step. A course or a university is worth judging by what it teaches you to judge, and by the kind of work its graduates go on to do. Our guide to choosing a university in India sets out the practical checks worth making before committing to a programme, from the course itself to the kind of work its graduates go on to do.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the chief guest at Adani University’s third convocation?
Prof Govindan Rangarajan, director of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, addressed the graduating class in Ahmedabad on October 31, 2026.
How many degrees did Adani University confer at the convocation?
The university conferred 374 degrees on the Class of 2026, and 10 students received medals for academic excellence: five gold, three silver and two bronze.
What did Prof Rangarajan say about AI?
He said students should use AI but not hand their thinking over to it, warning, “We should not become prompt engines. We should control AI.” He also compared AI to Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde to underline that it can help and harm at once.
What kind of university is Adani University?
Adani University is a private university in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, established in 2022, with a focus on industry-relevant education, practical learning and research.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the chief guest at Adani University's third convocation?
Prof Govindan Rangarajan, director of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, addressed the graduating class in Ahmedabad on October 31, 2026.
How many degrees did Adani University confer at the convocation?
The university conferred 374 degrees on the Class of 2026, and 10 students received medals for academic excellence.
What did Prof Rangarajan say about AI?
He said students should use AI but not hand their thinking over to it, warning, 'We should not become prompt engines. We should control AI.'
What kind of university is Adani University?
Adani University is a private university in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, established in 2022, with a focus on industry-relevant education and research.
Sources: The Indian Express, Republic World, Elets digitalLEARNING