Central Government order that PhD students should focus on topics of 'national interest' and also to avoid 'irrelevant areas', has attracted huge criticism from the masses. Protesting the circular, Meena T. Pillai, a member of the Board of Studies of English and Comparative Literature at the Central University of Kerala, quit from the institute.
While speaking to the media, Meena said that she was bumped when she read the circular. The circular dated March 13 said that ‘allotting privilege topics to the PhD students should be dispensed with.’ The circular further stated, “All the Heads of Department are hereby directed to convene the meeting of the faculties and prepare a shelf of project to be taken for research study pertaining to their subject considering national priorities. The student can opt from the shelf of project.”
Grabbing the opportunity, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Sunday took a dig at HRD minister Prakash Javadekar and also the order passed by the Centre. Rahul on his Facebook handle criticising the order wrote, “Now the self-certified intelligent minister of the wise Prime Minister will tell the intellectuals of the country how to do his work.”
Also Read: Shashi Tharoor gets ticket from Thiruvananthapuram; 27 more names announced
Shashi Tharoor, who is the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram also tweeted, supporting the professor. "Disgraceful HRD instruction that researchers can pursue PhDs only on topics of 'national interest' prompts Kerala professor to quit. The rest of us can join her protest by voting the troglodytes out!” he said.