Ranchi, Feb 9 (IANS): The St Xavier's College here has welcomed the Jharkhand government's plan to award an honorary degree to Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Jharkhand Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Baidyanath Ram last week announced the plan to give the honorary degree to Dhoni as a gift if India win the cricket world cup starting Feb 19.

"We welcome the government's announcement to award an honorary degree to Dhoni. We will do the needful if we get a proposal from the government," Father Nicolas Tete, principal of the college, told IANS.

College students are also excited over the announcement. "We will be happy if Dhoni is gifted an honorary degree as an award for winning the world cup after 28 years," said Rajesh Sen, a final year graduation student.

Dhoni is not a graduate. He took admission to a graduation course in 2008 in St Xavier's College but could not find time to complete it.

The decision to give an honorary degree is taken by a committee. The final approval is given by the state's governor, who is also the chancellor of the institution.