Indian student alleges betrayal by University of Oxford

Lakshmi Balakrishnan, a Tamil Nadu PhD student at the University of Oxford, has claimed she was "forcibly transferred" to a master's course without her consent. Balakrishnan, who holds two master's degrees and has spent nearly £100,000 on her education at Oxford, alleges that the English faculty did not act in good faith. Her thesis idea was initially accepted but was later rejected in her fourth year after she failed an assessment deemed unsuitable for PhD level by two assessors. This incident was revealed in a BBC report published two days ago.

Feelings of Betrayal
Balakrishnan expressed feelings of betrayal by an institution she once held in high regard, stating, “I already have two masters degrees from India and I paid £100,000 at Oxford to get my PhD, not another masters course.” She emphasised her background, noting that she is the first in her family to study abroad and that significant sacrifices were made for her education.

Unsuccessful Appeals
Despite her appeals against the faculty's decision, Balakrishnan has been unsuccessful. The Queen's College at Oxford raised concerns over her treatment, pointing out discrepancies in the appeal process and the assessment of her work. Additionally, two professors specialising in Shakespeare research supported her claim that her work had potential for a PhD.

University Response
In response, the University of Oxford defended its position, stating that not all students meet the requirements for doctoral status and that a transparent appeals process is in place. However, the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) sided with the university's decision, upholding the transfer to a master's course.