'Oxford forcibly removed me': Indian student who spent Rs 1.09 crore on PhD, claims her thesis was dismissed in 4th year

"I paid ?100,000 [Rs 1,09 crore] at Oxford to get my PhD, not another masters course," asserts Lakshmi Balakrishnan, an Indian student claiming that the university forced her into a master's program during her final year of her PhD without her agreement, according to a BBC report.

Lakshmi Balakrishnan, an Indian student hailing from Tamil Nadu, embarked on her PhD journey in the English Faculty at Oxford in 2018, after earning two master's degrees in India.

She has invested nearly ?100,000 in her education and living expenses at the prestigious university.

The offer included the supervisor of her choice, a renowned expert in Shakespearean studies.

In her Go Fund Me page, Balakrishnan states that after paying her tuition and beginning her studies, the university assigned her a different supervisor¡ªsomeone with no publications on Shakespeare and a concerning lack of attention to her work.

Despite her repeated appeals for help, the university did not address her concerns.

The situation worsened in November 2021, during her fourth year of study, after Lakshmi had already invested a staggering ?100,000 in her education.

Her experience turned into a nightmare when her internal assessment, known as the "Confirmation of Status," resulted in failure¡ªnot because of any inadequacy in her research, but rather due to claims that Shakespeare lacked sufficient "scope" for doctoral-level exploration.

This happened despite her thesis on Shakespeare being initially accepted during the application process and in her first year.

It was only later dismissed in her fourth year on the grounds that her research did not meet the required PhD standards.

"They forcibly removed me from the PhD program and moved me to a masters level course without my consent," Balakrishnan stated.

Since December 2021, she has filed numerous appeals and complaints with both the university and the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) and is now pursuing legal action against Oxford.

Credit: Unsplash

In response, the University of Oxford explained, "To achieve Confirmation of Status, progress must sufficiently demonstrate a strong likelihood of successful completion of a doctoral thesis. Unfortunately, not all students achieve this."

Balakrishnan expressed her feelings of betrayal, saying, "I feel like I have been let down by an institution that I held in high regard."

In her GoFundMe page, she declares, "The University of Oxford has committed an injustice most foul!"

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