Chandigarh, April 8
Till three days ago, we did not know a word about the historical role of the Arya Samaj in the education of women. Today, we have on a platter a 102-page thesis on the subject for a mere Rs 8,000, which we can submit in our name as “original research” for a PhD degree in any university in the country.

Investigating a tip-off, a Tribune team travelled across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh and found that theses submitted for PhD degrees in lesser-known universities in India were available for sale in “authorised” information centres of these universities.

Posing as students of History enrolled for a PhD in a university, we were asked by a source in Panjab University to contact the information centre of a South Indian university in Sector 38.

This vendor offered us a choice of three theses in Indian History, each for Rs 8,000: “Swami Vivekananda and the Indian Renaissance,” (pages 115, available in soft copy); “Women Education in Punjab 1886 to 1947 and the role of Arya Samaj,” (pages 102, available in hard copy) and “Handloom Weaving Industry in Punjab”, (pages 85, in hard copy).

“These have been submitted in a university but no one is likely to find out. However, in case you are caught, it would be solely your responsibility,” cautioned the vendor.

“An amount of Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per thesis is the cheapest you will get readymade research work. It is because this would not have the signatures of the guide. Such thesis is basically for all those who are already enrolled in a PhD or MPhil course somewhere but cannot do the tedious research bit. I strongly recommend that a few paragraphs are changed here and there on every page,” he further suggested.

The other easy way of getting a PhD degree without picking up a single book is costlier but rampant. PhD programmes offered by universities in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh involve the registration of a student with a guide from the university and a local co-guide. Their information centres spread all over the country in the smallest of town in active connivance with local “guides” offer to do everything for the student.

“We will arrange the guide for you. He will do all research. You only have to pay Rs 1.25 lakh to him,” said a person running the learning centre of a university in Rajasthan in Patiala. The “guide” he offered was a retired teacher of Punjabi University, Patiala.

“The PhD entrance test for enrolment was on March 7. You are late but I can manage to show you as ‘appeared and clear’ from my centre for the admission. The PhD thesis would cost Rs 80,000 besides the official fee for the course which would be paid to the university,” said a person running a centre in Ambala representing the same university.

Interestingly, all that is needed to be a “guide” to a prospective PhD is to have a PhD degree with two years of teaching experience. Thousands of such “guides” are readily available to do the legwork for the student for the lure of an additional source of income.

The student does not learn anything in the process. All you have in the end are 200 plus pages of rechurned, regurgitated research, which fetches students a degree. “We will ensure that your thesis is evaluated by our own people and also guide you on how to clear the final viva voce after the end of three years. Just read your thesis once in the end!” said a woman running the centres of two universities in Sector 37.

(To be continued)