• FUTA Chair says implementation should commence from P’ment political level  



The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) acknowledged the need for new legal provisions to prevent the titles of doctor of philosophy (doctorate) and professor from being misused by certain individuals.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, FUTA Chairman, Prof. Shyama Banneheka said that there is a need to introduce new legal provisions to prevent the said titles from being misused. "It is mostly the others who call someone as Dr. or Prof. So, the holders of these titles cannot change the way that they are being called. Therefore, the people should also know what someone's exact title is. Firstly, the misusing of such titles by politicians too should be changed inside the Parliament," he added.

Earlier, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had been directed by the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) to propose required legal provisions to prevent the titles of Dr. and Prof. being misused by certain individuals, within the course of one month. Following the revelation of the same at the COPE, when the UGC was summoned last week, the COPE had emphasised that the UGC should intervene and take action against such incidents, which undermine the Dr. and Prof. titles. The UGC had noted the absence of legal provisions for the same at present. The UGC was also informed by the COPE to suggest the legal provisions that are required to be made for this purpose within a month.