This idiot does not understand that PhD is not like a masters or bachelors, it is training to do research in an area. As the area evolves, so does the understanding of the researcher in the field. In fact with time the dedicated reseacher starts mastering his skills and those who do are eliminated in time anyway, PhD is only the beginning. This dum azz writer would not have even cleared the entrance or must be possessing a deep inferiority complex from competion.
This is a very good idea. Most of the people do not bother learn up to date information once they had their doctorate degree. This is a very big problem in higher education. Lots of things are changing rapidly day by day. It is always good to keep up to date information. This is a very big problem in the most of the Universities. They do not want to learn once they get tenured or job guaranteed . They think they are the most accomplished people on the earth. I wish the PhD%u2019s should be valid for only five years. . It can be renewed based on their research, publications and performance.
RE:Why not have an expiry date for PhDs? Yes
by babloo ghosh on Jan 19, 2008 04:30 AM Permalink
Whatever you have said is true except for the part where you call for 'expiry' of PhD. Every degree like Bachelor's, Master's and likewise, PhD is a landmark in the life of a learner/student in our present-day education system and is regarded as an achievement. That achievement cannot expire unless it is proved that something was grossly dishonest and immoral about the process of obtaining the degree. Remember, the day of convocation or commencement, is a special day in the life of every student. That roll of paper is like an award for his/her hard work, a recognition of his/her achievement. It cannot expire based on what the person does subsequently. What you are probably suggesting is induction of a tenure-track system in Indian universities (like US universities) where the faculty is granted a 'tenure' based on his research activity and output in terms of publications, abstracts, etc. But by calling for expiry of PhD degrees you guys are making this whole thing sound ridiculously stupid,as I have mentioned in one of my previous posts here.
RE:Why not have an expiry date for PhDs? Yes
by Insane on Jan 19, 2008 05:57 AM Permalink
rightfully said man. PhD is altogether a different league than masters or bachelors. And any degree is an achievement in a students career if academic moral honesty
I bet the guy who wrote this article is not a PhD holder. He wouldn't understand the fact that the learnings of a PhD work cannot be replicated many times by the same person easily in our lifetime.3 years (PhD to be dopne full time) is a little more than 4% of our lifetime (considering 65 as life expectancy)..!! TCA Srinivasa Raghavan should try a PhD first before giving expert comments..!!
Ph.D.: two and half letter word. But it gives you a lot...most important...confidence of doing something independent, trained you for all kinds of tough situations to adopt with, gives you a life time achievement in the sense of self interpretation......the goal for whole life research...the goal to lead a better view of research....Yes I do agree that after 10-20 years, the topic of research of Ph.D. would not be so exciting but how gonna these changes come...have you ever realize that...its all due to the inspiration, what one gets from this Ph.D......
I don't know about others...but to me Ph.D. is just like a first step of life where you can think independently......and can rely on yourself.....
I did a little bit of research on the writer of this article Mr Srinivasa-Raghavan and his cool dude, the modest Mr Ram Gopal Agarwal. While I could not find much about Mr Agarwal, Mr Srinivasa-Raghavan (SR), it seems, has a Master's degree from Delhi School of Economics. (It did lower my respect for Delhi School of Economics, sorry to say that). Mr SR, you yourself never got a PhD in anything, you don't know what it takes to obtain a PhD, especially in technical fields from a recognized university in US or even reputed institutions in India like IISc Bangalore,IITs, etc. Your ignorance in this matter is evident from your support of Agarwal's ridiculous idea of expiry of PhD degrees...you know what Mr SR, I think your Master's degree from Delhi School of Economics should probably expire for you cranking out such ridiculously stupid articles and you be fired from whatever office or post you are holding now.
PhD is not only a degree, it is an achievement for an individual and that can never expire. Only people with dubious credentials and cheap journalists like yourself can think of or support such stupid ideas.
RE:PhD not your cup of tea, Mr Srinivasa-Raghavan
by deepak mehra on Jan 19, 2008 03:54 AM Permalink
I agree with Ghosh that PhD is not necessarily the primary author's cup of tea, although i would not use the same words as Ghosh used. Nevertheless, one should know that the amount of work required to get a PhD is excessive especially in the USA.
RE:PhD not your cup of tea, Mr Srinivasa-Raghavan
by babloo ghosh on Jan 19, 2008 04:47 AM Permalink
ok may be I used a few strong words there, but I was really pissed off by reading the article. I don't know about you, but I would call this 'thoughtless journalism'. The media is often instrumental in shaping people's thoughts. beliefs, opinions and sentiments. They should be more accurate in expressing their views and do more research into it before coming up with an article online. Speaking for myself, I come from a family of PhDs, my father, now some 65 yrs old, still treasures his thesis. Even as a child, I remember him talking to me about how difficult and enduring those years were. It takeas a lot of perseverance, patience, intelligence, and possibly a lot of other qualities as well to get a PhD from a recognized university....that's why it usually takes at least 4-5 yrs to get a PhD, if not more. I find it more than outrageous that someone like Mr Srinivasa-Raghavan, who has no idea what it takes to do a PhD (his ignorance pitifully shows through the length and breadth of his stupid article) and who has not done one himself, should call for expiry of PhD degrees. On putting a little bit of more thought into it, I think this guys are probably talking about induction of a 'tenure-track' system in Indian universities where a faculty member is granted a 'tenure' based on his research acitivity and publications, abstracts, etc. But expiry of PhD degrees...that's a awfully wrong, ridiculous, stupid and irresponsible idea.
RE:PhD not your cup of tea, Mr Srinivasa-Raghavan
by deepak mehra on Jan 19, 2008 05:02 AM Permalink
I agree with most of your assessment and that probably the primary author wanted to propose a "tenure track" system but was not able to put his thoughts together as well as he wanted. It is a pity that this amounts to nothing but ignorance! Imagine a society reading an article written by ignorant people!
Ok.. only one message comes through here, loud and clear. The author needs to find something else to do. Giving good opinions is not his cup of tea. Ph.D. is not a burgeoise degree, buddy. Cut it out.
If one says that a PhD must be renewed every year, I would like to know how that same thing does not apply to any other degree. What about an MBA, MBBS, BA etc. Most people would fail. The simple reason is that if a person does not use something, it is forgotten. After 40 years, take any person, say an economist who is working in some other field and ask him his basics, I bet you, he will fail. This is stupidity. I would say that this is one of the most moronic articles ever. Even great scientists were not able to keep up. People like Einstein were not able to understand new theories like the uncertainity principle. One looses the capabilities with times, does that make him stupid.
Ask any Ph.d guy, they will tell you only one thing. Ph.d is not a degree, it is a continious process of developing as a person, leader etc., If you think Ph.d as a degree . it doesn't matter how many you get .. It is better not to have one
RE:do you know what is Ph.d means
by toni singh on Jan 19, 2008 03:43 AM Permalink
Mr. Agarwal, when ever I meet you, I will give you a slap first, and then I ask you, how did get this idea ......don't even think this matter, otherwise, you will murder by all Ph.D scholars.
Nice work rediff! Just ask those who had done or who are doing Phds, You will get your answer. Its very easy to speak nonsense while sitting outside the heat. I must tell Mr.agarwal to renew his Phd every year so that he must remain upto the skills. I dont know from which garbage rediff find such raghawans who are the idiots also giving a weired view of "Examined this nonsense seriously"
