Degrees of suffering of Ph.D. scholars in Tamil Nadu
Ph.D. scholars in Tamil Nadu have started speaking up about the exploitation they face from their guides in the pursuit of higher education. Nahla Nainar listens in and documents their woes
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.