A simmering controversy has gripped Kerala University after its evaluation board recommended awarding a PhD in Sanskrit to a student leader affiliated with the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), despite widespread claims that the candidate lacks even basic command of the Sanskrit language.

The debate centres on Vipin Vijayan, a former SFI office-bearer at the university’s Kariavattom campus, whose dissertation on Chattampi Swamikal — prepared and defended in English — was endorsed by the evaluation board for a doctorate in Sanskrit. The dean of the Oriental Languages faculty, Dr C. N. Vijayakumari, has taken the unusual step of formally requesting Vice-Chancellor Dr Mohanan Kunnummal to block the conferral of the degree, asserting that the candidate was unable to answer basic questions in Sanskrit, English, or even Malayalam during the open defence session held this month.

Critics, including university faculty and several who attended the defence (both in person and online), have questioned the credibility of awarding a doctorate in an ancient language to a candidate who is reportedly unable to converse or respond in that very tongue. Moreover, significant errors in the research methodology and findings section have been highlighted by academic authorities, with a pointed demand that the degree not be conferred until such deficiencies are addressed.

The issue has sparked demands for a thorough review, with the Save University Campaign Committee submitting a memorandum calling for a halt to the process unless the shortcomings pointed out by the dean are examined in detail. Observers note that the controversy comes at a time when Kerala University is enjoying one of the country’s top NIRF rankings, and warn that lowering academic standards could tarnish its reputation for excellence.

For his part, Vipin Vijayan maintains the protests stem from personal animosity and insists he followed due process. However, the episode has reignited ongoing allegations that student leaders may be leveraging political influence to secure academic qualifications, raising fresh questions about the integrity of the process at one of Kerala’s most prestigious universities. The matter is scheduled for consideration at the upcoming syndicate meeting on November 1, even as an official inquiry gets underway at the direction of the vice-chancellor.