What is an honorary doctorate?
The roll call of honorary doctorates has seen stars from almost every field in the past and the latest to join this elite club is none other than our World Cup winning captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. For celebrities such as Dhoni, an honorary doctorate is only one of the many honours they are bestowed with throughout their careers, unlike regular students who slog for years for what is touted to be the highest honour in the field of academics. So does the practice somehow cheapen the sanctity of the degree or is the “honorary” title enough to distinguish it from a real degree?
Understandably, academicians haven’t taken too kindly to the practice. Kamala Ganesh, professor of Sociology, says, “There are so many kinds of awards you can award them with, so why the need to give them a doctorate? But I agree that there are a few exceptions who have been outstanding in their fields over a period of time — for instance someone like Ravi Shankar would be truly deserving of a doctorate degree. But giving such a prestigious honour at the drop of a hat is certainly uncalled for.”
One also can’t discount the undercurrents of advertising in such practices. Says advertising professional, Prateek Sinha, “It’s a win-win situation for both parties. The celebrity in question feels extra honoured at being recognised by reputed educational institutes and the institutes too can cash in on the big names to further their brand equity.”
However, a degree can also be looked at in different perspectives, as PhD student Sayantika Palit points out. “You can either view a degree as a label or as a reward for your labour. An honorary degree is more of a tribute to someone’s extraordinary talent and our celebrities are truly deserving of the honour. Moreover, I don’t think a formal degree should be restricted only to institutionalised training. There are other areas too with deserving candidates.”
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