Degrees of suffering

Ph.D. students in Indian universities express angst over exploitation by guides, leading to a call for reform.

The usually formal convocation ceremonies at universities have turned a platform for Ph.D. students to express their angst in recent months. On October 28, while receiving his degree at Bharathidasan University’s 39th convocation in Tiruchi, F. Israel Inbaraj presented a petition, complaining about the treatment meted out to research scholars, to Governor-Chancellor R.N. Ravi. The incident caused a flutter, as media teams mobbed Mr. Inbaraj after the ceremony seeking details.

Talking to the The Hindu, Mr. Inbaraj, a Chennai-based management professional, said the “complete disregard for human rights” by some of the university research section staff and guides had made him pen the note. “I applied for a Ph.D. in Human Resource Management in 2017, but was able to get my degree only after six years. Though I was fortunate to have a supportive guide, there are many others who have been left high and dry in the recent past. I decided to present a petition to the Governor-Chancellor to inform him of what was happening to research scholars at the university,” said Mr. Inbaraj.

On October 13, A. Prakash, a Ph.D. scholar at Bharathiyar University, Coimbatore, handed a complaint to the Governor at the convocation. “At the time of the viva [voce], the research scholars are advised by some guides to shell out ₹50,000-₹1 lakh. Some scholars are being compelled to offer money, food, and gold to guides after the exam is completed successfully,” he said in the letter, highlighting the other alleged regulatory lapses at the university. “I was tired of seeing the inaction over the exploitation of research scholars by some guides and used the public forum to voice my concerns. Though my action grabbed headlines, there has been no change on the ground,” Mr. Prakash said.

But the tide seems to have turned in favour of the scholars. This week, the Additional Chief Secretary to the Tamil Nadu government issued a note to the Registrars of all the universities to take immediate steps to stop the harassment of research scholars by their guides. “An online reporting mechanism may be put in place so that the research scholars can report their grievances and immediate action [can be taken] to redress them,” said the note.

According to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) report for 2020-21, Tamil Nadu had the highest number of Ph.D. scholars (3,206) that academic year. Making Ph.D. mandatory for senior teaching positions at colleges and universities has led to more students taking up research. Interestingly, it was reported recently that the University Grants Commission (UGC) plans to alter the eligibility rules in favour of candidates who hold a strong interest in fields like start-ups, entrepreneurship, and industrial collaborations. In other words, earning a Ph.D. may no longer be compulsory for faculty appointments. But unless the UGC makes a definitive announcement, the toxicity of the Indian doctoral research arena will continue to grow, say observers.

The relationship between research scholars and their guides at Indian universities often appears feudal. Running errands for the guides is an accepted practice among research scholars. A Ph.D. scholar of Periyar University in Salem said, “Students who are unable to satisfy their guide’s financial demands will have to take on chores for them like grocery shopping, chauffeuring, and babysitting. A faculty member demanded that his students buy lunch for him every day.” Guides help students who comply with their demands in getting their papers published in research journals and clear their thesis, he added.

Today, a sovereign of gold is commonly expected, and given. There are guides who demand a gold coin for each of the two Doctoral Committees convened during the course. At times, scholars with an approved Ph.D. may still be expected to pay an additional bribe of ₹1 lakh-₹2 lakh when their work is signed, said a management professor from a college affiliated to Anna University. Then, there are experts who come for the Ph.D. panel with their families and demand freebies, the cost of which again has to be borne by the student. “An expert from Chennai came to Coimbatore with the whole family and asked for a tour to Ooty!” said the professor.