Indian student 'betrayed' by Shakespeare PhD snub
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An Indian PhD student, Lakshmi Balakrishnan from Tamil Nadu, has claimed that she was "forcibly transferred" from the PhD program to a master's course at the University of Oxford without her consent. Balakrishnan, who already holds two master's degrees and spent nearly £100,000 to study at the prestigious university, accused the English faculty of acting in bad faith. Her thesis idea was initially approved when she applied and in her first year, but was later rejected during her fourth year.
The university defended its decision, stating that all students were informed that successful completion of their program would depend on academic progress. Balakrishnan felt betrayed, asserting that she had been misled by the institution, which she had held in high regard. She emphasized that, having already earned two master's degrees in India, she expected to complete a PhD, not a second master's.
Balakrishnan, who comes from an underprivileged background and made significant sacrifices to study abroad, said that her thesis on Shakespeare was deemed unsuitable for a PhD after two assessors failed her in an evaluation. She disagreed with the faculty's assessment and contested the decision through an appeals process, but was unsuccessful.
The Queen's College, where she studied, expressed concern over her treatment, highlighting that her term reports had not flagged any major issues with her work despite the failed assessments. The college also questioned the appeal process and the decision to move her to a master's program. Additionally, two Shakespeare experts supported her research, arguing that it had the potential to qualify for a PhD.
Despite these concerns, the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) sided with the university, stating that students must demonstrate substantial progress toward completing their doctoral thesis to maintain PhD status. Oxford reiterated that students have the right to appeal assessments and that their process ensures fairness and transparency, with additional avenues for complaint if necessary.