The Dark Side of Degrees and Awards: Are All Accolades Really Deserved? - Vivek Hattangadi

The other day my close friend and my classmate in Bhavan’s College, Andheri, Bombay, Dr Fredoon Messman, and a retired Dean of a B-school was lamenting, “I wasted precious six years of my life to get a doctorate.” “Why do you say so Fredoon,” I asked. He gave a big laugh. “Vivek, I could have spent a few thousand rupees to get one instead of toiling for so many years, running to my guide, listening to his harsh words, and spending sleepless nights writing my thesis.”

I pondered over what Dr Fredoon said and remembered two cases.

Case 1

Gwen Lee Biopharma Ltd. (GLPL) is a Korean multinational biopharmaceutical company that also operates in India. Under the stewardship of Amir Chand Dhawan (ACD), the company’s image and stature rose to the next level.

ACD started his career as a medical representative in a French company and through sheer dint of hard work and his capabilities, he rose to become its Vice President (Sales and Marketing). He made a couple of career changes and finally joined GLPL as its CEO.

After his retirement, he was sought after by many companies as a coach to their C-suite executives. His reputation in the industry went sky-high. Despite his great career success, he always felt inadequate as he did not have an MBA degree nor a ‘Dr.’ to prefix his name He was also longing to receive some. His feelings of inferiority are concocted from purely imagined shortcomings.

Then…

Case 2

Then there was Prabhakar Rao (PR). He too had joined a pharmaceutical company viz. Pollux Healthcare as a medical representative. Pollux grew into a transnational major and so did PR. He went on to be the Executive Vice President (Sales) at Pollux. His charisma, his aura, and charm were magnetic.

PR was later given additional charge to develop business in South America and Australia. And he did it with great success.

After 39 years in Pollux, as his retirement came nearer, PR was yearning for a ‘Dr.’ before his name. He was looking greedily for awards. Was he having some sort of complex?

Then…

Inferiority complex is an umbrella term describing chronic feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. I remember reading an article titled “Why an Inferiority Complex Can Still Mean a Big Ego” authored by William Van Gordon in ‘Psychology Today’. Gordon writes, “People who feel inferior can still be obsessed with their own importance”.

A few weeks back I saw an ad on a popular social media platform. It was from a well-known online learning platform, originating in San Antonio, Texas, and with hubs in Denver, Colorado; Aberdeen, Scotland; Ankara, Turkey; São Paulo, Brazil; and Gurugram, India. The headline of this ad read: “Do you want a Dr. before your name?” followed by the website of this online learning platform. I wasn’t surprised. There are many who are eager to get it by doling out money. Not just a doctorate but awards too and are on the lookout for “diploma mills” and “awards factories” which are now available in plenty.

Fake doctorate degrees, also known as “diploma mills”, are degrees that are not earned from an accredited institution or program. These degrees are often sold to individuals willing to pay for them without completing the necessary coursework or meeting the academic requirements. Fake doctorate degrees and awards are unfortunately a reality, and they can be conferred on people through various means.

Wikipedia defines a “diploma mill” (also known as a degree mill) is a company or organization that claims to be a higher education institution but provides illegitimate academic degrees and diplomas for a fee. The degrees can be fabricated (made-up), falsified (fake), or misrepresented (practically useless). These degrees may claim to give credit for relevant life experience, but should not be confused with legitimate prior learning assessment programs.

Webster’s Third International Dictionary defines a diploma mill as “an institution of higher education operating without supervision of a state or professional agency and granting diplomas which are either fraudulent or, because of the lack of proper standards, worthless.”

Fake awards and degrees have become a rampant problem in today’s society. Whether it’s a self-proclaimed “Best of” award or a trophy given by an organization that doesn’t exist. Fake awards and degrees are used to manipulate and deceive people for personal gain. Fake awards are often used as a marketing tactic by companies or individuals to create a false sense of credibility or recognition.

These fake doctorates and awards are not only unethical, but they also undermine the credibility of legitimate awards and doctorates earned through intellectual and original work. For a close friend of mine who is a faculty in one of the top B-schools in Mumbai, it took him exactly 63 months. Another friend who is working on a doctorate for a very rare but relevant topic for today (‘patient-centred approach in pharma marketing’) tells me, “Vivek, it may take over 48 months just to complete writing my thesis. Add at least another 18 to 20 months to this before I am actually conferred the doctorate,” he says.

This is the reality and the truth. Fake doctorates and awards make it difficult for the general public to know whom to trust and what to trust.

One of the most common ways fake awards and doctorates are given is through pay-to-play schemes. In these schemes, companies or individuals are asked to pay a fee to be considered for an award. These fees, also termed ‘processing fees’ can range from a few thousand to a few lakh rupees.

They very often come with the promise of publicity and recognition.

Another way fake awards are given is through fraudulent voting or nomination processes. In these cases, individuals or companies create fake accounts or use bots to vote for themselves or nominate themselves for an award. This creates the illusion of legitimacy, but the awards are really just a form of self-promotion. I have a specimen of this in my e- mail. The processing fee was just Rs. 90000.

Fake awards can also be given through misleading or exaggerated claims. For example, a company might claim that they have won an award from a reputable organization when in reality it only received an honourable mention or was listed as a finalist. This allows them to capitalize on the credibility of the legitimate award without actually earning it.

It is important to note that obtaining a fake degree is illegal and unethical and can have serious consequences. In addition to potential legal repercussions, individuals who are caught with fake degrees may lose their jobs, their reputations, and their credibility.

The fate of those getting fake awards is no different. Such awards can harm the reputation of individuals or businesses who receive them. People may be misled into thinking that a recipient is more qualified or reputable than they actually are, and this can lead to negative consequences if the truth is later revealed.

In conclusion, fake awards and doctorates are a growing problem that undermines the credibility of legitimate people who earn them. By being aware of the ways fake awards are given and doing your own research, you can avoid falling victim to these misleading tactics.

It is always best to earn a degree through legitimate means, such as attending a reputable university and completing the necessary coursework and research. To avoid falling victim to fake awards, it is important to research the organization giving the awards. Look for objective criteria and evaluation processes, and be wary of any award that requires payment. By doing so, we can help ensure that awards are given to those who truly deserve them and maintain the integrity of the award-giving process.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are of the author and not of Medical Dialogues. The Editorial/Content team of Medical Dialogues has not contributed to the writing/editing/packaging of this article.