Thrissur: All’s well that ends well. But it was a tough fight for T. Rajesh, a Dalit scholar at Kerala Agricultural University, to get his research thesis accepted by the university and awarded the PhD degree. After prolonged delay, the university on Friday officially issued a notification regarding the award of PhD degree to T. Rajesh, a research scholar at the department of plant breeding, College of Horticulture, Vellanikara.
Mr Rajesh, who hails from Tamil Nadu, had registered a complaint with the university against the then head of the plant breeding and genetics department alleging undue delay in accepting his thesis. There were allegations that the delay was due to caste based discrimination.
Vice-Chancellor Dr P Rajendran had ordered a preliminary inquiry into the allegation and later a detailed probe by the university-level backward classes welfare cell. He had also directed the college authorities to expedite the steps to complete the examinations of the student. The inquiry found fault with the department head concerned. KAU sources said she will be shifted from the post.
Minister for Agriculture V S Sunilkumar, who is the pro-chancellor of the university, had given an ultimatum to the university to grant the PhD to Rajesh. A university release said the assurances of the vice-chancellor and the minister have been realised with the declaration of result based on final viva-voce examination held on June 20, Approval of thesis was held on July 14 and official declaration on July 15.
Mr. Rajesh’s complaint attracted instant attention as he had said he had no other way other than to follow his footsteps of Mr Rohit Vemula, the Dalit boy who committed suicide alleging harassment by university officials for his lower caste background.
