Once, I was obviously invited to head the Ph.D. viva of almost 18 odd candidates, being chairman of the committee ...and later in the process, the rest of the people would be trained with hand-holding that also I had to do.
On the day....
I was arranging the chairs .... making the arrangements and was asking whether everything is right, once, all are in the hall, and everything was fine, later I was relaxing on the front chair, waiting few more candidates to arrive, after preparing a flawless process to arrange such interview/ viva, and succession planning and result oriented process aligned with complete academic procedure and system. Obviously because, I believe in walk the talk. Suddenly, in anxiety, one candidate came and asked, "Who are you Sir?"
I said, "Chair lifter and arranger to Chairman, Peon to President of the committee....in fact, I'm human being who can perform all these jobs at a time".... I hope...the matter was clear....As I believe walk the talk, I had to develop a proper procedure and hence it was required.....later..it was called as the flawless procedure and system that was/ is followed forever..in that place...for conducting the Ph.D. viva...Thanks to God for guiding me from time to time.
Later, when this candidate came, he was trying to show-off his knowledge about statistics and computers and other things and thought none in the hall having Ph.D. in the Management may know all these things, forgetting, bachelors degree could be anything in India it could be MBBS to BA in Economics to B. Tech. to BHMS to B.F.A to BBA.....who all opt for MBA... The Professors found out almost 70 odd mistakes in his Thesis....as the examiners were having all such backgrounds....
The presenter thought, his Thesis might be rejected as the tough questions were asked ....though he was having very good qualifications according to Indian terms i.e. from top University in the world....was at stake...in fact, he also, claimed, "It was a tough viva-voce."
As a person who arranged his chair to sit, I was also, the person to decide his result, ......told him in brief, these are the things he should do in next 6 months...and same committee would be there to decide the result..... Finally, after 6 months he came prepared, his Thesis was fine tuned... and got his Ph.D. ....However, while going away, he said, "Wisdom lies in humility Sir, I didn't get person like you on the planet yet..."....touched my feet and went away....I said, "No need to touch feet of a common man...all are perishable mortals...touch feet of God"..... He said, nothing....but, I could see his wet and thankful eyes..
Later, all the committee members said, "Sir, we rejected all such candidates last year, why was his not...? Though we agree they came prepared after one year...."
I said, "He was working on himself, .... had depth of knowledge but missed 70 add minor points.....on the other hand, others were dependent much on the guides and pursuing Ph.D. as it was compulsory/ compulsion to them in their life...and genuine candidates are always genuine....if we had rejected..this finer Thesis would not have been in our collection and repository.... everyone laughed....any how we liked your formula... C to C and P to P....again everyone laughed....
Today, after the Ganesh Festival was over, I was lifting the chairs with children at that time I told this incidence to children they laughed....a lot...
Aum. Amen. Amin.
Dr. Ashish Manohar Urkude, ashish.urkude@gmail.com
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