Students and professionals must beware of institutes in the business of education that ‘sell’ degrees
A person, nationally decorated, once wrote to me with a new appellation of ‘Dr.’ I thought he had earned a PhD. On querying, he confirmed. He told me it was from a world university. In his drawing room hung the framed certificate. Being in the area of research, I was curious and asked him for a copy of his thesis to read. I am still waiting.
This is not exclusive to a doctorate. It applies just as well to other degrees, diplomas, certificates. I recall being told that, in the early colonial British period, there were no degrees awarded for medical qualification or indeed practice of civil engineering. All you could claim was having a ‘licentiateships’.
Nor is this a problem exclusive to India. Degree (and more) awarding institutions abound in many countries. They oblige for a fee, with or without some work. They could be the equivalent of a mill — churning out ‘awards’ such as degree/diploma etc.
Some years ago, when the State Department of Education of one of the US States was asked a question on such education ‘mills’, the reported reply was: “I am not familiar with any official definition of the term ‘diploma mill’ in any appellate court decision, opinion of the Attorney General, or elsewhere. I think that in using the term, the writer of the (sub-committee) report had in mind persons in organisations selling, giving or awarding degrees and similar documents without requiring any real academic achievement. I do not know where one should draw the line between an absolute sale of a diploma and the awarding of a diploma as a result of the completion of a ridiculously inadequate course of study.”
The legal spin is masterly and the framing of the response exquisite. In the process, two basic issues have been spun in: The length and adequacy of work; and if indeed, money was sent and a degree received in return, with no work at all.
Ever-evolving new logic is being found for ‘award’ of degrees, diplomas, certificates. This includes being recognised for ‘life experience’. The concept of credit for ‘life experience’ has not much to commend it, save of course, ingenuity.
One is not referring to plethora of ‘awards’ which abound from cities where some prestigious universities abound. In an era of digital glorification, it may be unfashionable to point out, but it is true, that many such institutions use the world wide web to propagate their business. The simple recourse of visiting the place to verify, is quite impossible.
Employers too have their constraints on checking the veracity of qualifications from alien unfamiliar lands. The size of the human resources department of many of the employers only renders the checking of qualifications more complicated. As international mobility increases, the situation is bound to grow more complex. One must hasten to add that this not just a ‘third world’ phenomena.
Business managers are one of the groups of easy targets. The pressure of competition makes them vulnerable. Add to this the capacity of some organised influential beneficiaries of this kind of embellishment to exert pressure and scuttle any worthwhile investigation, and there is little hope for easy remedies.
Indeed, in many cases the additional qualification is simply an attempt to acquire respectability! Reportedly in a Mediterranean country, not long ago, some influential people with ‘unrecognised’ qualifications put successful pressure on the appropriate council to ensure that the work of due diligence did not proceed.
Some commonsensical precautions can mitigate the chances of getting duped: Check the veracity of the source of reference. Are any faculty names listedIJ If so, are they identifiable namesIJ Is there a postal addressIJ If yes, then verify it. How long has the university existed and what, if any, research has it producedIJ
One look at the admission criteria may help. It may be useful to check if the institution has any recognition from a Governmental agency. If yes, at what levelIJ Does it have an alumni associationIJ If yes, who are the membersIJ
Yet, all or each of these may not prove enough, if you do not exercise utmost caution in dealing with unknown entities.