PhDs only on 'national priority topics': Kerala professor quits in protest

Amid the row over the central government order that PhD students should focus on topics of 'national interest' and avoid 'irrelevant areas', Meena T. Pillai, a member of the Board of Studies of English and Comparative Literature at the Central University of Kerala has quit in protest

Speaking to media, she said she was shocked when she read the circular. The circular, dated March 13, stated that 'allotting privilege topics to the PhD students should be dispensed with'. “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,” the circular stated.

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On Sunday, Congress President Rahul Gandhi took a dig at HRD minister Prakash Javadekar and the order. He wrote on Facebook: “Now the self-certified intelligent minister of the wise prime minister will tell the intellectuals of the country how to do his work.”

Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor has also tweeted in support of 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 tweeted.