It is simply beyond my imagination how Rediff can publish such awful articles. Who cares PhD are renewed or not? All the society wants are that PhD holders should be able to contribute in their field for the society. If they can not, eventually they will have a natural death.
In USA, promotion from assistant professor to associate professor goes through a tough process of evaluation. Lot of publication, research and funding is necessary in order to become associate professor. It is shocking to know that in India, merely attending an orientation program can make an assistant professor to associate professor. If that is the quality of thinking of the author, then he does not deserve the right to advise on this subject or the rediff should not publish such nonsensical articles.