Honorary PhD real honour? Varsities more selective now

MAGALURU: For years, honorary doctorates have provided varsities an opportunity to build relationships with the rich and famous. And the number of degrees awarded has been going up every year.

That many choose to accept the honour because of the mutual respect and admiration they share with the varsities is also a fact.

Eminent personalities such as C N R Rao, Rajeev Suri and S L Bhyrappa have received honorary doctorates from Yenepoya, Manipal and Mang alore varsities for their contribution to the society. These degrees are more ornamental than functional though.

“Bharat Ratna C N R Rao could have easily refused the honour that his university bestowed upon him. This was his 73rd honorary doctorate.He has received them from

Harvard

and MIT. This is his mutual respect and admiration for the varsity,“ said

G Shreekumar Menon

, registrar, Yenepoya University .

Former cricketer Rahul Dravid recently refused an honorary doctorate from Ban galore University .

When

Manipal University

chose Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri for the honour in November 2016, they had all the more reason to do so. He was a varsity alumnus. The university has been choosy enough in selections for the honour, with no honorary doctorates con ferred for three years after 2012 when ex-CJI M N Venkatachalaiah had received it.

Mangalore University

, too, has been selective lately.Among the few awarded in the last three years are entrepreneur Shashikiran Shetty, author S L Bhyrappa and folklore expert B A Viveka Rai.