UGC Vice Chairman Bhushan Patwardhan Says Honorary Degrees Might Be Regulated To Prevent Potential Misuse 

University Grants Commission (UGC) Vice Chairman Bhushan Patwardhan has said that Shah Rukh Khan’s honorary doctorate should be looked from the broader perspective, including its compatibility and timing.

In an interview with the Indian Express, Patwardhan said that he personally feels that conferment of honorary degrees such as D.Litt., D.Sc. etc. should be based on individual accomplishments, when asked about the news agency’s investigation which showed that several people in powerful administrative positions were getting honorary doctorates from various universities,

On Shah Rukh Khan’s doctorate which Jamia Milia Islamia University conferred, he said that “There are many instances where one person may have received honorary degrees from multiple institutions. Conferment of honorary doctorate should be used to mark genuine recognition of highly accomplished individuals with impeccable credentials.”

Furthermore, he told IE that the UGC would examine if conferment of an honorary degree by universities is required to be regulated to prevent their potential misuse.

Also read: HRD Ministry Stops Jamia Milia Islamia From Giving Shah Rukh Khan An Honorary Doctorate, Here’s Why