A professor in the Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) has alleged that the university administration is intentionally delaying the approval of ‘Form–J’ for a Ph.D. scholar. The student is currently studying at an institute in Arizona, USA, under a collaborative programme.

Sankar Natesan, Chairperson and Professor at MKU’s School of Biotechnology, explained that the research scholar is pursuing research under his guidance in Arizona. While there, the scholar co-authored and published research papers in journals alongside an international student as part of their collaborative work.

However, Mr. Natesan noted that obtaining Form–J is a critical prerequisite for attending the thesis’s pre-submission viva.

The university’s journal committee must first review and approve the submission before the student can be cleared to proceed with the viva.

In this particular case, despite Form-J being submitted on December 14, 2025, it was rejected on March 13, 2026—exactly three months later.

Mr. Natesan alleged that while other students usually receive approval within a day or even an hour, his student paperwork was intentionally stalled.

“I was notified by the Research Section that my student’s first paper was rejected, and consequently, his thesis submission was not recommended. In this published paper, the student is explicitly listed as having ‘contributed equally,’ which designates him as a joint first author,” he said.

He emphasised that joint first authorship was a globally recognised practice in the scientific community for collaborative research where multiple individuals make substantial contributions.

He expressed surprise that how a Chemistry Professor, who also serves as the Research Director, would claim that only the individual whose name appears first sequentially can be considered the first author.

“It remains unclear whether this rigid stance stems from a genuine lack of awareness or is a deliberate move to obstruct the process,” he remarked.

He further pointed out that Section 11.4 (Research Publication) of the MKU Regulations, 2016, simply states: “The candidate shall publish one research paper, relevant to the research area, in a National / International refereed journal as listed by the UGC. This paper shall be published with the candidate as first author, and the guide may be the co-author, if necessary.”

To avoid escalating the conflict, he highlighted that because the student registered in 2019, his degree is governed by the 2016 MKU PhD Regulations aligned with UGC guidelines.

Under these rules, the student is fully eligible to submit his thesis with a single published paper.

“This is not merely a delay in approving his research paper; it is costing him enormously,” he lamented.

“Because he is currently in the US, coordinating and traveling for his pre-viva session requires a massive financial commitment. If this delay stretches out any further, it raises a serious question over how he can continue his education.”

MKU Registrar-in-Charge S. Muthaiah clarified that university regulations strictly prohibit processing applications where the student is listed as a second author.

However, acknowledging the professor and student’s explanation regarding equal contribution, the administration has requested more time to evaluate whether an exception or accommodation can be made for the paper, he added.