Mangaluru: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has urged Mangalore University (MU) to confer honorary doctorates only on truly deserving individuals. These honorary degrees, traditionally awarded during the university’s annual convocation, should uphold academic and intellectual excellence, the group emphasized.
In a statement, ABVP district coordinator Suvith Shetty pointed out that, as per the Karnataka University Act, it is customary for MU to recognize distinguished contributions in fields like education, literature, arts, and intellectual pursuits. However, in recent years, the university has deviated from this principle by granting honorary degrees to affluent business figures and influential personalities. This shift, he argued, has diminished the credibility of both the degree and the institution.
Condemning this trend, Shetty called on the university to uphold integrity in the upcoming convocation. He insisted that decisions regarding honorary doctorates should be free from financial, political, or external pressures. Instead, selections must be grounded in genuine merit, ensuring that individuals with exceptional academic, literary, or artistic achievements are honored.
“If the university cannot maintain the dignity of this degree by awarding it to truly deserving candidates, it is preferable to suspend the practice altogether,” Shetty stated. He stressed that preserving the sanctity of the honorary doctorate would enhance the reputation of both the vice-chancellor and the governing body.
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