PhD scholar petitions Guv at BDU convocation; Higher Edu Minister Chezhiaan again boycotts Ravi function

TIRUCHY: The 39th convocation of Bharathidasan University (BDU), Tiruchy, saw Tamil Nadu Governor and Chancellor RN Ravi conferring degrees to 520 graduates including PhD scholars on Tuesday. He also distributed gold medals to as many as 90 students.

The Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhiaan who was scheduled to take part, skipped the programme. This is yet another time in the recent past that State Ministers have skipped convocation events graced by Governor Ravi.

Meanwhile, chief guest N Kalaiselvi, Secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research said, “Our target was to get independence 77 years back and now, our target is to achieve all-round development as we have all the resources,” she said. She said that a country will develop only when it grows in science and technology.

“Our Prime Minister has been working hard to ensure technology, science, medicine and engineering superpower by 2047 and everyone must lend our hands to achieve an all-round developed nation, " said N Kalaiselvi.

While Governor Ravi was conferring degrees, a PhD scholar who was later identified as F Israel Inbaraj handed over a petition on the dais.

Later Israel Inbaraj, who had received PhD in Human Resource Development, said that the research department of the Bharathidasan University has been torturing the scholars.

“I have travelled five times to get the letter for PhD. Though there was guidance through my guide, there was no support from the research department. They treated the scholars so badly and several scholars had lost interest in doing research under the university. They even withhold our research papers from publishing,” Inbaraj said.

While four years are enough for completion of a PhD, the scholars at Bharathidasan University have to wait up to nine years. This has forced several scholars to quit doing research work.

“Many scholars are in a certain fear that their degree would be withheld if they complain against the research department and finding no other option, I submitted a petition with the governor,” he said.