because doctors keep prescribing medicines that were invented in 1950s...
and civil engineers keep maintaining bridges and skyscrappers with their 1940s knowledge...
Also how about an age limit and a qualification requirement for politician? If a 80 year old politician can make decisions that affect a whole nation, why whine about a PhD who is harmless and perhaps stops with publishing some research paper in a remote journal? Where are the priorities?
RE:first implement it for doctors and civil engineers
by Haranadh vd on Jan 22, 2008 03:35 PM Permalink
Pointing out certain group of people(like doctors or civil engineers) is not good. I agree with the idea of training the people to acquire better knowledge and to keep in touch with latest technologies. Education and learning these not measured by the degrees. It's a life long process. Experience teaches a lot than degree. Expiry date for degree is nothing but expiry date for experience which sounds odd
have just one term for a PM and President , and have just 7 years terms for directors of a PUC . An MLA 3 times , MP two times . 15 years Job for IAS. 5 years Public Service for all individauals any time between age 25-55 of their life .
In a professional arena perhaps there are valid arguments on the expiry period of a PhD or a Medical Sciency examination and rightly so!
when one continues to practise the profession which requires a certain degree of updation perhaps is needed. For example a medical doctor should not be allowed to practise his medical practice if he is out of it for a considerable period.
However, one needs to distinguish it from a qualifying examination like that of UPSC for selecting candidates for civil services like the IAS/IPS etc. These are examinations that act as a threshold on who is bright and knowledgeable enough over other aspirants.
However, their service record and their regular appraisals form the base of their conituance in service and the next posting that they get. Hence, expecting them to write another civil services exam is ludicrous!
The UPSC has an inherent system to select candidates for higher postings even in the middle of the service for civil servants! For example for the selection of a CEO position in a PSU aspiring candidates would be thoroughly interviewed and are asked to prove their credentials!
The most silly practice in India is addressing people holding PhDs as Dr. on a regular basis. Addressing the Indian PM on a regular basis as Dr.Manmohan Singh is a silly practice which doesnot occur in any part of the world. Academic achievements are recognised but they go into the background unless the relevance is valid.
RE:DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENT LIKE A Phd/MD AND A THRESHOLD EXAM LIKE THE ONE TO GET SELECTED FOR IAS?
by bobby on Jan 20, 2008 11:26 PM Permalink
True. Which is why the number (not quality) of educated is more in India than any other part of the world.
RE:DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENT LIKE A Phd/MD AND A THRESHOLD EXAM LIKE THE ONE TO GET SELECTED FOR IAS?
by Kasivishvanathan Sundar on Jan 21, 2008 11:39 PM Permalink
If kabir has contributed even one idea, however epsilon it may be with what alreay exists, he may be right in his views... How many cultures do you know or how many countries have you travelled? Do you know what happens in Germany? Or even in UK? Who told you that addressing people by Dr. is bad or is not practised in any part of the world? Don't be an Indain CRAB..., especially when you cannot do the climbing...!
Dear author and everyone, I have to totally disagree with this article. Why only target Phd? Just because its on the top of the academic stages? People from all acedemic stages contribute to the sucess and progress of technology. Hence its important to maintain standars in all levels. Having an expiration date on Phd's is a narrow minded approach because you are not focussing on the core problem. Malpractice or corruption at Phd levels??? Doesnt it exist on all levels? To increase quality of work we should focus on establishing values on a global/general sense rather than a particular sector.
RE:Look at the big picture
by Nirmala Abreu on Jan 20, 2008 09:35 PM Permalink
Dear author why only target Phd. it is a research work of 4-5 years. Anyperson can be a lecturer with an MA or equivalent degreee which is also a one time degree and he need not have any research work done in order to get peomotion. I think that if the person is intersted he will update his knowledge , without any presure, else it will lead to only corruption... thanks
RE:Look at the big picture
by Kasivishvanathan Sundar on Jan 21, 2008 11:42 PM Permalink
But who told you that Ph.D. is like a degree - to be studied and attained. It is meant for original contributions... While I doubt the Indian standards in confering a Ph.D. do you think that it is just another course where you study and write an exam?
SO MANY PEOPLE arguing this shows the nature of people in our sub-continent and their level of knowledge... (sic!)
With due appologies to T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan, your articles has equated procuring a PhD degree to procuring a driving license, which comes with an renewal date. the conclusions havent taken into account what it takes to be a PhD esp after putting half a decade to achieve it. I personally feel its not come from a sane mind.
RE:An irrational conclusion from a irrational mind
by Kasivishvanathan Sundar on Jan 21, 2008 11:44 PM Permalink
Not just a sane mind but the most idiotic mind arround who neither knows the structure of academics nor what is meant by Ph.D. May be he thinks (like what is now common) that he would write an exam and get a Ph.D. Good luck to him... JAI HIND
RE:foolish artilce
by arava reddy on Jan 20, 2008 09:31 PM Permalink
Foolish and Jobless Idiot wrote meaning less article....in that case it should be applicable for all the degrees from X class onwards........
I appeal to all Rediff posters. If you do not agree with the view of the article writer fine you have have the freedom not to do so - attack the views , not the writer counter the view you have the right to dod so , but you have no right to call him stupid and so on.
I try to read in bteween the lines. I believe that that whether you are a undergraduate or a Ph. D one has to upgrade his knowldege. Do not rest on your laurels. Knowledge and concepts change. What is right today may be wrong tomorrow. learning is a continous process and one learns till his death. Even our children are our teachers
RE:Read between the lines
by Kasivishvanathan Sundar on Jan 21, 2008 11:48 PM Permalink
Ph.D. is not given for one's knowledge... you need to at least have knowledge of it. It is given for one's contribution in the advancement of knowledge. So it is not that it needs to be refreshed every 5 years or so. The contribution made is alreay done and it will not vanish in the next 5 years!
Lucky this is not a few hunderd years back where some one could have been hanged for such a stupidity... Words seems to be okay!
The author either has not done his PhD or exploting young phd students for his publication. This idiot doesn't even understand the people in science at least are fedup with the already existing system of phd studentship. They spend at least 5-7 years on an average fighting with the system doing hard work for their phd and after that you expect them to have expiry date for their PhD's. If the policy is like that then I have a billion dollar brain which I don't wish to waste on getting the degree and keep it alive. No one would like to do phd... the author does not have even minimum common sense.
RE:author is an aszhoool
by Kasivishvanathan Sundar on Jan 21, 2008 11:51 PM Permalink
Especially when the Mr. has not tried it, got a job and had seniory and pay in that damn 5 or 6 years... while there is these gus who strived for an orginal idea (which Mr. would not have got even in his oowing...) whatever minimal extension it be to what exists, slogging and wasting the 6 years of life span when they would have been rolling in money if they had choosed to do it.
I don't know about the other Agarwal he mentions - may be he is a merchant!
