Ph.D. viva: have you saved money?

Corruption is indisputably a major hassle in our country that has influenced the course of national politics. We have always believed the politicians, babus and government employees as the quintessential perpetrators. Perhaps people have their own reasons to support the dubious ritual, but what I fail to understand is its presence in academia. 

The highest degree that can be obtained in our country is a Ph.D. (Doctorate in Philosophy). The time consumed while doing a thesis, its compulsions, obligations if compiled can be another epic. It is often said, “one who does a Ph.D. in India never allows anyone else to do it in seven generations.” The trouble has got less to do with the work and more with the unprofessionalism involved. So, is the condition with many things in India, but where is the corruption? Well, after all the work is being done and thesis is submitted comes a crucial part, the scheduling of the viva-voce. Ethically, everything is streamlined and should occur at a designated pace but what follows is another torturous session where the student is supposed to pursue the progress of the assessment of his thesis. Most often the clerks refuse to dispatch the thesis to the examiner citing the unavailability of the stamp tickets. The student is expected to buy the tickets and hand over the purchase bill to the clerk for reimbursement.

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Similarly, the examiner gets the travel as well as dearness allowances for his visit to conduct the viva-voce. But all those expenses are to be handled by the student himself, whereas the examiner claims the reimbursements. Last and not the least is the khana-khilana session that is being suggested as ‘only if you wish.’ You loathe when the student is asked to pay for the fuel in case of power cut. The thumb rule is if you don't maintain a follow up of your thesis, then it may take all the time in the universe to get your degree. 

My question is, are all these arrangements relevant for the viva to be conducted? From where has this tradition of involving the student in the administrative work started? How ethical is it to involve the poor soul in making arrangements than to be preparing for the viva? Can’t it be like any other exam where the student is only concerned with the answers? How is the research done by him benefited by these lunatic exercises? It is a degenerate practice followed in most parts of the country where the so-called ‘buddhijeevi’ religiously mimic it without questioning its morality. Why don't we mimic west in this respect?

Oop’s have I mentioned the gifts expected to be given to the supervisors?