Doctorate at a price?

One of my unfulfilled dreams in life has been that I could not acquire  a doctorate in a subject of my choice. I always wanted to be called as Dr.R.V.Rajan. Unfortunately, since I  do  not have a Masters degree,  Universities in the South refused  to even consider registering my name as a Phd student. I could have done a Master`s late in life to qualify but the very thought of sitting down to write a formal examination, sends shivers down my spine. You see, my handwriting is so awful that  I can`t decipher my own handwriting after I wrIte a piece. (I find that I am not comfortable typing my thoughts directly on the computer) .With that kind of handwriting I am sure I would never pass any written examination. Throughout my working life, I was lucky to have a super efficient secretary, who would type a draft which would have captured 90% of my manuscript  right and I could make corrections on the printed draft
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Some well meaning friends, knowing about my  ardent desire, suggested that  I apply to one of the many unrecognised Universities in USA which offer doctorates at a price. All that you have to do is send them a collection of a few published articles on the topic of your expertise,  accompanied by a cheque for the prescribed fee. Within a couple of weeks you will be holding in your hands a beautifully designed and printed Certificate announcing to the whole world that you are now a qualified doctor in the subject of your choice. No research, no thesis, no defending the thesis- A Phd certificate on a platter; Sounded very tempting. But my conscience did not allow me to take that easy route as I was particular about acquiring my doctorate the hard way as some  of my  friends have done post retirement

But I have had the privilege of being addressed as Dr.R.V.Rajan  during a certain period in my life without actually getting a Phd. I had the opportunity to rub shoulders with academics  during my long stint as  a Country Representative and later as a member on the board of AMIC ( Asian Media Information & Communication Centre) an NGO devoted to promotion of Mass Communication in the Asia Pacific region with head quarters in Singapore. At the annual conference of AMIC held in Singapore every year, there would be a seminar on a communication related topic. While as a country representative,  I had to present an overview of the topic of the seminar, there would be another subject specialist, invariably a person holding a doctorate in the subject who was expected to present a more in depth presentation on the topic. Since most of the participants around the table were having doctorates, they would assume that I was also a Phd. Most of the mails I used to receive those days ( pre- email days) would come with envelopes showing my name as Dr.R.V.Rajan.  Later, when I started teaching Rural Marketing  in many management Institutes across the country, I would be always referred to as `Professor Rajan`  - a position which is given  only to a    teacher in any college who is  holding a doctorate. So I  am a professor without the necessary  Phd.  Did my conscience not prick receiving a recognition without  the necessary qualification. Of course not because both the recognitions were offered to me without my seeking them.

At my age I think I have no other choice but to live only with memories of my days as `Prof Dr.R.V.Rajan`

  

This article appeared in Adyar Times issue dt 14-20, Ocotber,2018 under my column `Rajan`s random reflections`

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