Kerala University evaluation board recommends PhD in Sanskrit for SFI leader who doesn’t know the language

A controversy has erupted in the Kerala University after an evaluation board recommended awarding a PhD in Sanskrit to a SFI leader, who allegedly doesn’t even know the language. The complaint given by the Dean opposing the recommendation of the Chairman of the Evaluation Committee is out.

Head of the Sanskrit Department and Dean Dr. CN Vijayakumari has filed a complaint with the Vice Chancellor against awarding PhD degree to SFI leader Vipin Vijayan based on the evaluation board’s recommendation. In her complaint, Vice Chancellor Vijayakumari has made serious remarks against Vipin Vijayan’s PhD thesis and open defense.

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The dissertation presentation and open defence were held prior to the recommendation of awarding of the doctorate degree to Vipin. In her complaint, Vijayakumari said Vipin was unable to answer any of the factual questions raised about the dissertation in English, Sanskrit or Malayalam during the open defense.

The topic of the dissertation was ‘Sadhguru Sarvaswam- A Study’ about Chattambi Swami. The dissertation was prepared in English. The teachers participated in the open defense in person and online. The student was unable to answer their questions and it is shameful that the Kerala University, which has secured the best position in the country in the 2025 NIRF rankings, is awarding a PhD to a substandard dissertation, says the Dean and head of the Sanskrit Department in her complaint to the Vice Chancellor.

It has been reported that at the open defence, the SFI leader could not answer questions posed by the evaluation committee members, who communicated in English, Sanskrit, and Malayalam.

Following the complaint, the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal, has ordered an investigation into the matter

The Dean stated in her complaint that the candidate’s dissertation lacked quality and the performance during the defense was unacceptable. The complaint alleges that Vipin blocked online participants when they asked questions and denied them the opportunity to ask more questions. She also urged the Vice Chancellor to block the awarding of PhD to Vipin.

The complaint came out as the recommendation of the evaluation committee chairman to award PhD to Vipin is to be considered in the next syndicate meeting.

Responding to the development, Vipin Vijayan said there is a personal enmity behind the complaint against him.

This incident is one of several allegations in Kerala concerning PhD admissions and degrees being granted based on political influence rather than academic merit. Critics allege that such issues damage the integrity of the state’s higher education system.

A similar case occurred earlier at the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU), where a SFI leader was accused of securing admission for a PhD program without having passed the required M.Tech semester exams.