Agra: Fifty-five people who did research under Agra University will now have to remove the prefix “doctor” from their names, as the institute cancelled their doctorate degrees after experts found the researchers’ work were not totally their own.
The research scholars had been flaunting the “doctor” title for three years.
The decision to cancel their doctorate degrees was taken by the university’s executive council.
The university’s public relations officer Manoj Srivastav said 36 Ph.D, 17 D.Litt and two D.Sc theses were sent to experts for re-evaluation.
The experts panel rejected them, saying they were full of flaws and were “substandard”.
The list of cancelled doctorate degrees has been posted on the university website.
The experts found that some researchers had taken material from here and there and the work was not totally their own effort. Some theses had nothing original about them, and the results of the research were incorrect, the official said.
However, the university’s image has been dented, and questions are being raised about the competence of the research guides, an official said.
Charges of corrupt practices are being levelled against the academic community of Agra.
The full implications of the research work are still being assessed after allegations against many serving and retired dons of assisting researchers to secure doctorate degrees.
There are allegations that one researcher got his Ph.D while sitting pretty in the US without having met anyone in Agra, while some others had other people lined up to do all the work, from writing to data collection.
“Pick up four-five old theses, start rewriting and presto you are a Ph.D,” a retired departmental head said. (IANS)