PhD recommendation for SFI leader who does not know Sanskrit: Dean's letter to Kerala VC seeking to block

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala University has recommended that SFI leader Vipin Vijayan, who is not proficient in Sanskrit, be awarded a PhD in Sanskrit. While the syndicate meeting to be held on November 1 is to consider the recommendation, Oriental Languages ​​Dean and Head of the Sanskrit Department, Dr. CN Vijayakumari, has written a letter to Vice Chancellor Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal expressing her opposition. The demand is to block the recommendation to award a PhD to a student who does not know the language.

Vipin, who has completed his graduation and PG from the University of Sanskrit, is the office bearer of the Research Students' Union at the Karyavattom campus. Ahead of the award of his PhD, the thesis was recommended by the evaluators in the open defence held on the 15th of this month. Anil Pratap Giri, a Sanskrit professor at Allahabad University, and Dr CA Shaila, his guide, also participated in the open defence. The dean’s letter alleges that the open defence was hijacked and disrupted by the researcher and his associates.

The dean's letter states that the student was unable to answer a single question about the dissertation in English, Sanskrit or Malayalam. The student hung up on those who asked questions online. He denied the option to question again. The letter also states that the online participants have informed in writing that the student does not know anything about the subject. The dissertation is about Chattampi Swamikal, named 'Sadhguru Sarvaswam - A Study'.

Mystery in the dissertation

The letter from the dean, who participated in the open defence as the chairperson of the doctoral committee from beginning to end, states that there is a mystery in the fact that the student, who could not answer a single question correctly, wrote the dissertation without mistakes in English. The Save University Campaign Committee submitted a petition to the VC demanding an investigation into this.

Student alleges personal enmity

The student has filed a complaint with the VC alleging that the letter was the result of the teacher's personal enmity towards him. Meanwhile, the VC has ordered an investigation into the matter. The Director of Research and the Registrar have been instructed to investigate and submit a report immediately.