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Mangaluru: Apart from the two recognized doctorate degrees (Ph.D.) that are awarded to the intellects and others for their commendable services in various fields, a third form of the doctorate degree has recently become a trend.

While the first form of doctorate degree is awarded to scholars who work for years publishing journals, and thesis by recognized universities, the second one is known as Honorary Doctorate that is awarded to people with exceptional services and contributions in various fields. The third one which has become a new normal is a doctorate being awarded at a “fixed rate” to businessmen, politicians, and social figures with little or no contributions to society.

Earlier reports of such doctorates being awarded to people used to come from districts like Bengaluru, Mandya, and Mysuru but now the “fixed rate doctorate” is making inroads into the Dakshina Kannada district.

Social media groups are currently abuzz with reports of people getting these doctorate degrees with a particularly strange name. Users have subjected the receivers of these doctorate degrees to trolling on social media pages.

Several people in Mangaluru have been awarded these doctorate degrees which possess the slightly altered names of reputed international colleges and universities. The degrees are then conferred at hotels or other venues in Goa, Bengaluru, and elsewhere with a few men posing for a picture as guests on stage, wearing the robes worn during convocation ceremonies in universities.

Later the receiver releases the picture to media houses and on social media platforms as a publicity stunt claiming they have received a doctorate from reputed institutions and universities.

Social media users have recently trolled people receiving such honorary doctorates, while a few others have also shared their bitter experiences with those distributing these doctorate degrees.

Violating the criteria to be followed by institutions that can confer honorary doctorates, several organizations have been awarding honorary doctorates to people who barely meet the criteria of being conferred with this honor.

Although people have now begun to realize that these doctorates carry no authenticity, people who have received honorary doctorates from genuine universities and through their contribution in various fields feel let down.

Earlier in June this year, award-winning actor MK Mata had shared a Facebook post on the topic and had named it “Doctorate Maratakidde” meaning doctorate for sale.

Commenting on the issue today, he expressed his displeasure adding that the networking awarding these doctorate degrees is making people to suspect the people who have obtained their doctorates with merit and from authentic universities.

He also shared his experience from about three years ago when he received a call claiming that he would be awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Madras University.

“When I asked the caller about what was my contribution to be awarded an honorary doctorate, in a haste, they just told me to share the details they were asking and that they will take care of the rest.” He said adding they asked him for 50,000 rupees in exchange for the Honorary Doctorate.

Recently when a person called one such organization conferring Honorary Doctorate he was told to share his details through an email id along with his identity proof and details of his work. They told him their administrative committee will scrutinize his work and will get back to him in a week.

While claiming they do not take any money in exchange for the Honorary Doctorates, the organization hinted that they would accept donations that would come from the applicants.

It is important to keep the significance of Honorary Doctorate from reputed universities in mind, simultaneously it is also important to to be aware of this unauthentic third form of "Honorary Doctorate" that is vastly becoming a new normal in the region. 

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Noida: India TV editor-in-chief Rajat Sharma has drawn sharp criticism on social media following remarks he made on air attributing Delhi’s air pollution partly to its geographical location and the Aravalli hill range.

Speaking during a recent episode of his prime-time show Aaj Ki Baat, Sharma said Delhi’s geography plays a major role in trapping polluted air.

“Geographical location is the main reason. Delhi is a big city and its shape is like a bowl, surrounded by the Aravalli hills on three sides. As a result, polluted air gets trapped and cannot disperse easily. Therefore, the problem of pollution in Delhi cannot be solved in one year or in any particular season,” he said.

His comments came amid a severe deterioration in air quality in the national capital. On Sunday morning, December 21, Delhi woke up to a thick blanket of toxic smog, sharply reducing visibility and causing widespread discomfort. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 390 around 7 a.m., placing it in the ‘very poor’ category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Dense fog and smog also disrupted flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA). As many as 110 flights were cancelled, while over 370 flights were delayed due to poor visibility. Of the cancelled services, 59 were arriving flights and 51 were departures. Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 showed that departing flights faced an average delay of around 26 minutes.

Netizens troll Sharma

One user wrote on X, “Rajat Sharma is saying due to the Aravalli hills, there is air pollution in Delhi. He is defending mining and destroying the Aravalli hills like this. How can these people call themselves journalists?”

Another user accused him of political hypocrisy, comparing his earlier criticism of the Delhi government with his current remarks, and wrote, “In 2023 he blamed Arvind Kejriwal for Delhi air pollution. In 2025, he is blaming the Aravalli hills because BJP is in power. Hypocrisy = 100%, Journalism = 00%.”

Others termed the comments an example of the “godi media” narrative, alleging that geography was being blamed instead of governance, industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, construction dust, and stubble burning. “When they fail to question power or policy, they conveniently shift the blame to nature,” another post read.

“Friends, what can one even say about today’s godi media? According to them, the reason for Delhi’s pollution is that the Aravalli hills surround the city from three sides, trapping polluted air inside. Seriously? So now Sudhir Chaudhary and Rajat Sharma want us to believe that nature itself is to blame? When they fail to question power or policy, they conveniently shift the blame to geography. Apparently, it’s not years of environmental destruction or administrative failure—it’s the Aravalli hills! Does this explanation make any sense at all?,” wrote another.

What is the Aravali issue?

The controversy arises over the Union government’s revised definition of what constitutes the Aravalli hills.

The decision has drawn protests involving environmental activists across Haryana, Rajasthan, and parts of the Delhi-NCR region, who have raised concerns that the new definition could weaken protection for one of the world’s oldest mountain ranges.

Under the revised definition, an “Aravalli hill” is described as any landform in designated Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more above local relief, while an “Aravalli range” is defined as a cluster of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other. Activists fear this could open the door for mining, construction, and commercial activities in previously protected areas.

Environmentalists argue that the Aravalli range serves as a natural barrier against desertification, dust storms, and pollution, and plays a vital role in maintaining ecological balance in the Delhi-NCR region.

They have demanded that the entire Aravalli range be declared a fully protected area with strict conservation measures.

Meanwhile, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav has stated that the new definition, accepted by the Supreme Court based on a Centre-led panel’s recommendations, would not result in any relaxation of mining norms in the Aravalli region.

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