WATCH | PhD graduate refuses to accept degree from Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi

Tirunelveli: A PhD graduate from Manonmaniam Sundaranar University publicly declined to receive her doctoral degree from Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi, during a formal convocation ceremony held on campus.

The ceremony, hosted at the V.O.C. Auditorium in Tirunelveli, witnessed Governor Ravi – who also serves as the university’s Chancellor – awarding degrees to students from the university and its 104 affiliated colleges.

Out of the 37,376 students eligible for degrees, 759 attended the event in person, including 650 PhD awardees. Following protocol, graduates were handed their degrees off-stage before being formally acknowledged by the Chancellor.

However, Jean Joseph, a PhD scholar from Kottar, Nagercoil, made headlines after she deliberately bypassed the Governor and chose instead to receive her certificate from Vice-Chancellor Dr Chandrasekar.

Graduate criticises Governor’s role in Tamil Nadu

Speaking to reporters after the event, Jean Joseph openly explained her decision, stating, “The Governor has done nothing for Tamil Nadu or the Tamil language.”

“Many others are more qualified to present degrees such as the Chief Minister or the Education Minister. It should be the student's choice from whom to receive the degree. My fellow students appreciated my decision. If it were wrong, no one would have congratulated me. I don't want to take my degree from someone who does not respect our land, language, and identity.”

Jean Joseph, who previously studied at Hindu College, Nagercoil (B.Com) and Mepco College, Sivakasi (MCA), completed her PhD in Human Resource Management at Manonmaniam Sundaranar University.

The protest comes amid continuing friction between Governor Ravi and Tamil Nadu’s DMK-led government, with tensions frequently surfacing over his comments regarding state autonomy and cultural identity. It has also emerged that Jean Joseph’s husband, Rajan, holds a political position as district student wing secretary of the DMK, adding further political context to the incident.

With ANI inputs