2 min readBengaluruMar 19, 2026 09:49 AM ISTKarnataka Higher Education Minister M C Sudhakar (Photo: X/ @drmcsudhakar)Flagging the lack of regulation in granting honorary doctorates, the Karnataka Higher Education Department has sought the formation of an expert panel to clear the honorary awards granted by universities in the state.Minister for Higher Education Dr M C Sudhakar, in a letter dated March 12, has sought approval from the Governor, who is also Chancellor of state-run universities, to constitute the panel.The proposed committee will review existing norms and recommend guidelines. This is expected to ensure transparency and uniformity in all public, private, and deemed-to-be universities of the state, while conferring the recognition.Under the existing system, the names for candidates are shortlisted by the university syndicate, which is cleared by a committee constituted by the Governor.According to the letter, current provisions under the Karnataka State Universities Act, 2000, empower universities to confer honorary doctorates on distinguished individuals for their contributions. But, the absence of clear guidelines has led to instances where multiple universities confer the honorary doctorate to the same person, which has raised questions about the credibility of the awards.Sources said that the letter was sent to the Governor last week, and the department was hopeful of getting clearance for the said committee. “Such a committee is essential because the honorary doctorates cannot be awarded randomly without assessing whether an individual is qualified,” an officer said.Complaints of alleged irregularities in granting such awards were part of Legislative Council discussion in the past, where several MLCs had objected to the manner in which the doctorates were conferred.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd