Thiruvananthapuram, 29 October(HS): The Kerala University, once rated as a centre of excellence in South India, stands exposed as a hub providing Degrees, post-graduation and even PhD to students who do not know the topic in which they specialize. Worse than that, the University has decided to award a PhD in Sanskrit to a student who does not know Sanskrit!

Needless to say, the student who will prefix the title Doctor to his name is Vipin Vijayan, an SFI leader who is masquerading as a research scholar on the university campus. It has become a routine affair in Kerala University to award a PhD to SFI leaders and activists without them doing any research.

Vijayan’s name has been recommended for the PhD by the committee of “scholars” and their recommendation has come to the consideration of the university syndicate. “The student does not write or speak Sanskrit. The members who took part in the Open Defence were shocked to find out that Vipin Vijayan, the research scholar, cannot read or write Sanskrit. The topic on which he has submitted the research was Chattampi Swami- A study. But he does not know who was Chattampi Swamy and his role in Kerala’s renaissance. He failed miserably when asked by an examiner to explain the meaning of the word Chattampi,” said R S Sasikumar, an academician who retired from the University as its registrar.

The Head of the Department of Sanskrit has written to the Vice Chancellor pointing out the incapability of Vijayan to read or write Sanskrit and also the flaws in the thesis submitted by him “All experts who attended the Open Defense could understand that the research scholar is incapable to wrote at least a single word in Sanskrit and hence he should not be awarded Ph D,” said Sasikumar.

The CPI(M) leaders consider a PhD as a status symbol. Many SFI and CPI(M) have managed to walk away with a PhD from the university without doing any research. The PhD is a guarantee to get the job of a college lecturer and the UGC pay scale,” said Sasikumar.

Names like Chintha Jerome, Sunil Elayidam, S Swraj, and A A Rahim MP, are PhD holders from the University of Kerala. “What links them is their SFI and CPI(M) membership. The reputation of Kerala University has taken a beating because of the awarding of PhD to select student /research scholars,” said Sasikumar, who heads the Save University campaign committee.

Hindusthan Samachar / Manohar Yadavatti