What use is a PhD, scoffs Ajit Pawar

MUMBAI: Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar is once again at the centre of a controversy thanks to his dismissive remarks on the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree

MUMBAI: Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar is once again at the centre of a controversy thanks to his dismissive remarks on the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. A video that went viral on Wednesday showed Ajit asking what anyone could achieve with a PhD, a stance that has drawn the ire of all sections of society.

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The background to the remark is the state government’s decision to reduce the research fellowships it has been granting to scheduled-caste, scheduled-tribe, OBC and Maratha students from 1,226 to 200. It announced this decision at the beginning of the academic year, leaving many applicants without financial support.

The video is from Tuesday’s proceedings of the legislative council, where the issue of curtailing the number of fellowships was raised by Congress MLC Satej Patil. “Around 1,329 students applied for fellowships this year, assuming they would get a stipend from the state,” he said. “We want the government to postpone the decision and implement it from the next academic year.”

In response Ajit Pawar asked, “What will they do after taking fellowships?”

Patil replied that they would acquire a PhD, to which Ajit scoffed, “PhD karun kaay dive laavnaar aahet? (What glory are they going to cover themselves with by getting a PhD?)”

Patil was visibly stunned by the unexpected remark and demanded to know how Ajit could say something like this. The deputy chief minister remained seated when he made the remarks, hence they will not be made part of the proceedings of the lower House, said his office when contacted for a comment.

The video has provoked anger from all quarters, and opposition parties have slammed the deputy chief minister. Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said this showed the arrogance of the government. “The way the deputy chief minister has spoken about the PhD degree shows that this government is against education in general,” he said. Jibed Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut: “PM Modi has already said ‘Fry pakoras’.”

Rohit Pawar, Ajit’s nephew and NCP (Sharad Pawar) MLA from Karjat-Jamkhed constituency, condemned the statement. “Students from economically weak backgrounds have no funding for higher education,” he said. “It is wrong to question the ability of the deserving and what students want to do. I condemn the statement made by Dada.”

Ajit’s remark was also shared and slammed by the official Twitter handle of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). The deputy chief minister, incidentally, is known for making offensive statements.