The ruling Left Democratic Front Government in Kerala is facing another controversy as the Chief Minister’s Additional Private Secretary, Dr Ratheesh Kaliyadan, is accused of obtaining a fake PhD degree and plagiarizing parts of his thesis. The Kerala Students Union (KSU), the student wing of the Opposition Congress, alleges that Kaliyadan violated University Grants Commission (UGC) rules in acquiring his PhD.
KSU President Aloysius Xavier highlighted the inconsistencies in Kaliyadan’s claims, stating that he worked as a schoolteacher in Kerala from 2009 to 2017 while supposedly conducting full-time PhD research in Assam from 2012 to 2014. Xavier questioned how Kaliyadan could have fulfilled the requirement of 80 percent attendance at the research center in Assam while simultaneously working as a teacher in Kerala. Moreover, the KSU leader accused Kaliyadan of completing his PhD in two years instead of the required three, without fulfilling the prescribed coursework.
Xavier further alleged that Kaliyadan’s thesis contained significant instances of plagiarism, with over 70 percent of the work being copied according to a Turnitin examination. The content was reportedly sourced from the internet, various publications, and even students’ work. Xavier announced plans to file complaints with Assam University to seek the cancellation of Kaliyadan’s PhD and with the UGC to initiate an investigation into the matter.
In response to the allegations, Ratheesh Kaliyadan defended himself, stating that the charges were baseless and aimed at humiliating him. He filed a complaint with the Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner and refrained from commenting on the merit of the allegations until the investigation concludes. Kaliyadan expressed hope that the probe would uncover the individuals responsible for spreading false accusations against him.
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