Indore: Three scholars came forward on Wednesday, two days after Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV) vice chancellor Dr Narendra Dhakad claimed that Mamta Chandershekhar, who was awarded doctor of letters (DLit) degree during convocation even when she was not “eligible” for the same, was the lone person who completed DLit course of late.
The VC had made such a claim after he came in for flak for allegedly “obliging” Mamta Chandershekhar, wife of Chandershekhar Raikawar – an executive council member at DAVV. Only those students who had completed their DLit, DSc and PhD courses in session 2014-15 or between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015, and in 2015-16 or between July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016, were to be granted degree certificates during the convocation.
For this, the university had issued a notification also, which clearly mentioned the above-mentioned dates. However, the DAVV overlooked the notification for the wife of an EC member Raikwar whose degree completing period was not in the bracket of the sessions mentioned above. She had completed her degree course in 2017.
Trivialising the issue, Dhakad had said: “She was the only candidate who had completed DLit course in recent past from DAVV. As there was only one candidate with DLit, we included her in the list of candidates to be awarded degree certificates in the convocation. I don’t find anything wrong in it.”
A day after news regarding this was published, one Kala Joshi came forward that stating she had also completed DLit course in year 2017 but she was not conferred the degree at the convocation.“The university’s move to single out a particular scholar was certainly band in taste,” she said.
On enquiry, names of two more candidates came forward who had reportedly completed DLit in 2012. When confronted over the issue, the VC said: “Why to make a mountain out of a molehill. Those who did not get degree in this convocation would be awarded the same in the next one.”