PhD scholar Jean Joseph receiving her degree from MSU Vice-Chancellor N. Chandrasekar
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
At the 32nd convocation of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU) on Wednesday (August 13, 2025), one of the 759 candidates who received their degrees and medals in person ignored Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi, who was the chief guest on the occasion, and received her doctoral degree from the Vice-Chancellor of the university N. Chandrasekar.
“Since the Governor has done nothing for Tamils and Tamil Nadu, and is working against the State, I chose to receive the degree from Dr. Chandrasekar, a scholar, and did not want to receive my degree from Mr. Ravi,” PhD scholar Jean Joseph told reporters after the convocation ceremony.
To ensure that the right degree is handed over to the right candidate at the convocation ceremony and to avoid any mix-ups, MSU has implemented the practice of distributing degree certificates to candidates before the start of the ceremony. Convocation robes are provided at separate counters. Candidates, therefore, arrive on the dais with their own degree certificates and pose for a formal photograph with the dignitaries on stage.
When Ms. Jean, who had conducted her research on ‘Micro Finance’ after obtaining her MBA, reached the dais with her degree certificate, she walked past Mr. Ravi and handed it to Dr. Chandrasekar, who was standing next to the Governor. Even though Dr. Chandrasekar advised her to give the certificate to the Governor, she refused, received the degree from the Vice-Chancellor, posed for a photo, and then stepped down to return to her seat.
“When I returned to my seat from the dais, a few fellow candidates around me appreciated my decision to receive the degree from the Vice-Chancellor while ignoring the Governor. I believe in the ‘Dravidian Model’ government, which the Governor is working against. That annoyed me, and I decided to receive the degree from the Vice-Chancellor, whom I consider the right person to do so,” said Ms. Jean, who is married to Rajan, the Nagercoil town deputy secretary of the DMK.
Published – August 13, 2025 04:59 pm IST
