On a sunny afternoon at the hostel of a medical college, a third-year postgraduate student appeared visibly worried as he skipped his lunch. He approached a group of his senior friends, who were now senior residents in the same hospital.
PG: “May I ask you something? Two years ago, I submitted my thesis protocol to the university but didn’t collect enough data, and my guide never inquired about my progress. Now, he’s asked for the final draft of my thesis, and with a deadline of just ten days, I’m struggling to complete it. I don’t know how to get it done on time.”
His friends exchanged knowing glances, and one of them spoke up.
Friend 1: “Don’t worry. You need a ghostwriter. Everyone hires one these days.”
PG: “What? That’s cheating, isn’t it?”
Friend 2: “Of course it is. But if you want to submit the thesis, you have to play the game. The choice is yours.”
PG: “I don’t know. That doesn’t seem right to me.”
Friend 3: “Look, it’s up to you. But if you don’t do it, you’ll fall six months behind and won’t be able to take the final university exam.”
The PG looked visibly shaken. Eventually, he decided to give it a try. He reluctantly agreed, and his friends gave him the contact information for a well-known ghostwriter who specializes in medical theses. He sent the ghostwriter an email explaining his situation and the requirements for his thesis.
The ghostwriter responded promptly, assuring the PG that he could deliver a high-quality thesis within a week for a reasonable fee. Although the ghostwriter asked for some basic information about the topic and required format, the PG was primarily concerned with ensuring the thesis met their guide’s expectations.
Realizing that emails and WhatsApp messages might not suffice, the PG decided to call the ghostwriter.
PG: “Hello, I’m a postgraduate student who has been in touch with you via email and WhatsApp. I need urgent assistance with my thesis. The deadline is next week. Would you be able to help me?”
Ghostwriter: “Of course. What’s the topic?”
PG: “It’s on hypertension and its complications.”
Ghostwriter: “Alright, and when do you need it?”
PG: “As soon as possible. I have to submit it in a week.”
Ghostwriter: “No problem. I can have it done within that time frame. What are the requirements?”
PG: “It needs to be about 100 pages long, and it has to follow the format of the university’s guidelines. Also, my guide has to sign off on it.”
“Okay, I understand,” replied the ghostwriter. “I’ve completed many similar theses before, so I know exactly what you’re looking for. I’ll conduct a thorough literature review using PubMed references, I will write flawless subjects and methods section and I’ll include all the charts and diagrams you requested.”
“Table making is my forte, and I can create numerous tables on every parameter of your thesis, such as age, sex, occupation, socio-economic status, glucose, BP, ECG and outcome. With ease. I take pride in my table-making skills, which even skilled carpenters envy.”
“And don’t worry, I’ll ensure that all the results are statistically significant and that the P values are below 0.05,” the ghostwriter sounded so confident.
The PG sighed in relief and said, “Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. About the colours in the Pie charts, could you use a lot of green and blue? Those are my guide’s favourite colours.”
“Of course, I’ll use green and blue in the charts. Is there anything else I need to keep in mind?” asked the ghostwriter.
The PG thought for a moment before replying, “No, that’s it. Thank you for doing this for me. I appreciate it. Just make sure to stick to the deadline. If you don’t, I could lose six months.”
The ghostwriter jotted down all the requests, and the PG ended the call.
Just as the PG hung up, he remembered something crucial that he had forgotten to mention to the ghostwriter.
He picked up the phone and dialled the ghostwriter’s number again. “I almost forgot the most critical aspect!” exclaimed the PG. “You need to ensure that my guide is recognized in the acknowledgement section of the thesis as the most exceptional mentor our department has ever had. He has been incredibly supportive, offering his vast knowledge, expertise, and remarkable patience to help me complete this daunting task. Please describe my guide as someone who has always gone above and beyond to assist me with the thesis.”
The PG requested, “Please highlight my guide’s remarkable patience with me. Although we never met in person for thesis-related work, please mention that he generously invested his time in answering my questions, providing detailed explanations, and guiding me through the data analysis process. Despite any mistakes I made, he always remained calm and composed. His expertise helped me understand even the most challenging concepts with ease. His contribution was invaluable to the success of this thesis, and I want to ensure that he is acknowledged accordingly.”
The ghostwriter nodded patiently and assured the PG that he could deliver a high-quality thesis that met all of these requirements.
“What about your fees? When and how do I pay you?” the PG asked.
“Don’t worry about it. Due to your urgency and the approaching deadline, my premium charges will apply. However, I can offer you a discount to make it more affordable,” replied the ghostwriter. “I used to be a doctor, but now I do this job full-time, so I can empathize with your situation,” he added, expressing understanding. “You can pay me after your guide approves the thesis,” he said, exuding confidence in the quality of his work.
The PG sent the required information to the ghostwriter and ordered dinner from a nearby restaurant. He finally sat down to fill his hungry stomach. However, the approaching deadline continued to weigh heavily on his mind.
The ghostwriter wasted no time getting started, diving right into the task of drafting the thesis. He used previous MD theses on a similar topic from other universities and scholarly articles as a foundation.
Working diligently, the ghostwriter made steady progress, and before long, the thesis began to take shape. Despite a few late nights and long hours, the ghostwriter remained focused and committed to delivering the highest quality work.
He carefully incorporated the customizations specified by the PG, ensuring that every detail was just right.
Finally, on a Sunday night, the ghostwriter put the finishing touches on the thesis and emailed a beautiful PDF of the thesis to the PG. The document was polished and professional, showcasing the ghostwriter’s exceptional writing skills and attention to detail.
The PG was ecstatic. He marvelled at the excellent work that the ghostwriter had produced. He could not thank the ghostwriter enough for his outstanding effort and dedication. He was confident that his guide would be impressed with the final copy, and that he would be able to submit a top-quality thesis on time.
The following day, the PG waited patiently outside his guide’s chamber for two long hours. The guide seemed very busy on a Monday morning—engaged in a lively discussion with his colleagues about university politics, DA arrears, share market trends, and recent India vs Australia T20 match. He had so many problems to solve. Eventually, the guide summoned the PG inside.
The PG opened his laptop and eagerly presented the first draft of his thesis to the guide for review. Despite feeling nervous, he had faith in the ghostwriter’s skills. He was confident that the thesis would impress his guide. As the guide began to review the document, the PG braced himself for feedback and questions.
The guide suggested a few changes here and there, and the PG carefully noted down all the modifications the guide wanted. “Make sure that a few P values are not statistically significant— you need to ensure to make the thesis authentic,” the guide emphasized.
As he kept scrolling down on his laptop, the guide suddenly spotted a typo that the PG had overlooked. He chided him for being careless. “This mistake could have a significant impact on the validity of your findings,” the guide warned. The PG hung his head in shame and apologized profusely.
Feeling slightly embarrassed, the PG quickly corrected the typo and assured the guide that he would carefully review the rest of the thesis for any similar errors.
“I studied in a Marathi medium school. I am not proficient in English. Your command over the language is awe-inspiring, Sir,” the PG expressed his admiration for his guide’s language and proofreading skills.
As the guide continued to review the thesis, he occasionally raised his eyebrows, frowned, and pointed out what he deemed to be silly errors. He wanted a scatter diagram and asked for a few tables to be redone to ensure that the results matched exactly with previous publications. “When it comes to an MD thesis, I never take any chances,” he explained his stance.
“The deadline for thesis submission is fast approaching. You must come on Wednesday morning with the revised final copy before 10 am. As you saw today, I shall get very busy after 10:30 am,” reminded the guide to the PG.
The PG heaved a sigh of relief and hurried off. He immediately called the ghostwriter and shared all the changes the guide wanted in the thesis.
The PG said to the ghostwriter, “I got in trouble for some typos and silly errors in the manuscript. You should have been more careful.”
“So, here’s a little tip for you,” said the ghostwriter. “You need to intentionally leave some typos and silly mistakes in your thesis. It’s a way to stroke your guide’s ego, you know? That way, your guide can feel like they’re really making a difference by correcting your work.”
The ghostwriter sent the final version of the thesis to the PG after making all the revisions.
The PG was thrilled with the final outcome. “Wow, this is amazing!” he exclaimed, his joy overflowing as he examined the thesis on his iPhone. “You did an incredible job. How can I ever thank you?”
“No need to worry about it, it’s all part of my job for the week. But let me give you a suggestion. Why not consider getting an expensive Parker Premier Graduated Chiseling Ball Pen as a gift for your guide? You can even request that he sign the thesis with it. And while you’re at it, consider getting another pen for your head of the department. It’s always good to show appreciation. Such acts of gratitude come in handy during the final practical exam. Go ahead and order them on Amazon as soon as possible,” the ghostwriter said, showcasing his knowledge of the game.
The PG arrived at the guide’s chamber on Wednesday morning. Despite being just as busy as he was on Monday morning, the guide promptly attended the PG. He knew that PGs usually bring gifts to show appreciation when they present their theses for signature.
The PG presented the elegant pens, wrapped in a red ribbon box, as a gesture of appreciation to the guide and department head. They promptly signed the thesis and generously agreed to take photographs with the PG to commemorate the occasion. The PG asked a friend to use his iPhone to capture the moment, proudly displaying his thesis for posterity. Soon, his thesis would find a place on Instagram.
Feeling jubilant, the PG expressed his gratitude by touching the feet of the guide and the department head before leaving the department. He breathed a sigh of relief as he used UPI on his cellphone to pay the previously agreed fee to the ghostwriter’s account and uploaded the PDF of the thesis to the university’s submission portal.
Several weeks later, he received confirmation from the university that his thesis had been approved without any queries from the reviewer. His friends congratulated him on his achievement. He shared the good news with his wife, sister, and parents over a phone call and also posted a photo of his thesis along with the approval letter on Facebook and Instagram, basking in the glory of his accomplishment.
Despite his sense of relief at completing the task, the PG couldn’t shake off the guilt of resorting to ghostwriting services. He knew that the pressure to publish or perish had led him to contribute to the flourishing industry of academic dishonesty.
Meanwhile, the ghostwriter got busy as he began working on a new project— a thesis on epidemiology, risk factors, and surgical outcomes of breast cancer.
This time, he had to accomplish an incredible feat – meeting a deadline that was just three days away.
Wonderful, hilarious and reminds me of our days, when all we needed was an efficient typist to type few pages correctly (in four copies) every day for a week or so. Preparing tables and charts was really difficult. Getting colour photos pasted at correct place in all copies was equally tiring.
Things are becoming easier with advance in technology, specially with the use of AI or will you call it GI 😂
Thank you for your comments. It’s amazing how much technology has advanced and made things easier for us, especially with the use of AI. It’s fascinating to think about what the future holds in terms of technology and how it will continue to revolutionize the way we work and communicate. We need another George Orwell to predict the shape of things to come!
Incredible…these are things that we had never heard of when we submitted our theses! Unfortunately, it is a sad commentary on declining scientific standards.
As usual, your blog makes for absorbing reading, Sir. Would you say this post falls under the genre of dark comedy?
I literally got goosebumps and never imagined that our teachers could understand this scenario so well. Every word in the blog post truly reflects what many postgraduate students go through on a day-to-day basis. I don’t know who should feel ashamed. Why make thesis submission a compulsory requirement for exams? Instead, it could be incentive-based.
For example, if someone submits an original, well-planned, and executed thesis with the team efforts of 2-4 postgraduates, it could be really helpful.
How can a single postgraduate student, who is a protocol maker, data collector, analyzer, and all-in-one, create an unbiased study?
Just read your blog, sir. Beautifully written article, I must say.
However, in my case, my MD thesis provided an opportunity for me to learn R and statistics. But many students view it as a burden rather than an opportunity, sir. The incidents you mentioned in the blog post seem very real to me.
Well written sir. 😊 Really true in today’s scenario.
My ghost writer was Dr Sandeep Dey…1981 batch…..died in a plane crash.. God bless his soul!
Sir excellent ground reality… I guess the first responsibility should be with the guide. At least they should give a topic name or assist in finding it and then continuously review it.
A beautiful and honest write-up about a sad and harsh reality we all face in academic medicine. This is not limited to PG thesis but is amongst faculty who are publishing articles like this just to stay afloat in the publish-or-perish game. Another facet to this is the gifting of ghost authorship by a spouse to his better half or in any other relationship for that matter; irrespective of their specialities!!
Thank you for your feedback. It is indeed a sad reality that exists not just in PG thesis but also among senior professors and faculty who engage in the “publish or perish” game. I agree that the issue of ghost authorship is pervasive and can be seen in various forms of academic writing, including articles and books. There is an elephant in the room, but nobody acknowledges its presence!
What an apt description of a new industry operating in our country!
I wish the thesis part of the curriculum should be removed!
He can be given two short-term projects in 3 rd & 5 th terms to get oriented towards research.
Thesis writing in today’s world has become obsolete.
It only feeds the ghostwriters.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the topic. I understand your frustration with the ghostwriting industry and acknowledge that the thesis may be losing relevance in some PG programs in medical colleges.
That being said, I do agree that there may be ways to improve the process and make it more relevant and useful for students. Incorporating short-term research projects earlier in the curriculum, as you suggested, could be a good starting point to introduce students to research and help them develop necessary skills. We must strive to find a balance between maintaining the value of the thesis and adapting to changing times and needs.
I thought this was the case only in deemed private (urban ) institutes.
Maybe this epidemic is not limited to geography.
Unfortunately, over the years I see myself also accepting the ghost as an angel, justifying myself that I have too much clinical, clerical and familial work to do the tedious and boring journal work. My promotion cannot wait any longer for just some outdated ethics ingrained in me.
Another one bites the dust, sir.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences. It is true that the issue of ghostwriting in academic publishing is not limited to a particular geography or type of institute.
It can be challenging to balance various responsibilities and still prioritize ethical practices in one’s work. However, I believe that we must strive to uphold the values and standards of our profession, even if it requires additional effort and time.
So well expressed sir. Never knew this was so rampant and prevalent. This is a futile exercise that doesn’t have much relevance. Need review and reconsidering.
Very sad things – written beautifully though
A few years ago I was called and asked “thesis likhne ka aap ka Kya rate hai”
I was ignorant about such things and patiently explained what I did. The person understandably did not need my guidance
Aptly described the unfortunate truth of thesis writing in today’s medical education.
Very true and rampant
Honest write up sir .I just want to suggest that a word limit to the post is needed so that we keep enjoying your intellectual outpourings ,as attention span is hijacked by ” n ” number of things in current era and we don’t want to miss reading your articles completely .
Thank you for your feedback and suggestion! I appreciate your kind words and understand the challenges of maintaining focus in the current era. While I don’t currently have a word limit for my posts, I will keep your suggestion in mind as I continue to write, and aim to make my articles as engaging and accessible as possible.
An excellent, flawless write-up! Almost like a thesis…hope you did not ghost-write!
Jokes apart, I also feel saddened by the sad state of affairs & our acceptance of the situation…we actually even try to justify it! At the end of the day, I wonder what training is actually being imparted to our future ‘specialists’.
Thank you for your kind words and appreciation of my writing! Rest assured, I did not ghost-write.
I understand your concern about the acceptance and justification of the current state of affairs in various fields. It’s important to constantly question and improve upon the systems and practices that exist.
Regarding the training of our future specialists, I believe that it’s up to the educational institutions and mentors to ensure that they are providing a well-rounded education and guidance towards ethical and professional conduct. We must prioritize the development of critical thinking and ethical decision-making skills in addition to technical expertise.
It is always such a pleasure to read your stories Sir and the way you weave life into the words. I always visualise the events happening right in front of me.
Looking forward to the next one.
Thank you for your kind words! I am glad to hear that my stories are able to transport you into the events and make them come alive. Your appreciation is a great motivator for me to continue writing, and I look forward to sharing my next story with you.
A very pertinent topic. Emphatically raised. People are becoming more intelligent, and finding new business opportunities with little or no risk. This is one area. How can this be checked? Doing away with the thesis may not be a good idea as this may kill the research skill training completely.
Thank you for your thoughts on the topic. It is true that people are becoming more innovative and finding new business opportunities with less risk. However, it is also important to ensure that these opportunities are ethical and legal. As for the suggestion of doing away with the thesis, I agree that it may not be the best solution, as it plays an important role in training research skills. However, perhaps there can be a balance struck between encouraging innovation and maintaining the standards and integrity of research.
Sir, so good and interesting to read. We were probably unfortunate, that we didn’t have them at our time or we were probably unaware of such services. Will be really thankful to Mr Kuljeet, the stenographer in the MS office, who would type and retype our manuscripts till the last date of submission. Your writing is always very interesting, as is your handwriting. [Swaraj Chowdhary, 1977 batch)
Thank you for your kind words! I agree, Mr. Kuljeet, the stenographer in the MS office, deserves our thanks for typing and retyping our manuscripts until the last date of submission.
I’m glad to hear that you find my writing interesting, and I appreciate your compliment about my handwriting.
I feel thesis becomes burden if institute doesn’t have requisite facility.I can say this from my experience. I had excellent guide though I was his first PG. He read each and every line before final draft.Got good support from biochemistry department.I had to go to Mumbai for training and worst part was albino mice needed for research were not available even in Nagpur.They had to be procured from Calcutta.Everyone can’t afford these things. Had to go to Delhi to get photocopies of reference articles from NM library. It is important to train PGs in research methodology so in place of thesis some other less cumbersome project should be assigned.
You may recall that I also proofread your thesis. I am fully aware of the challenges you faced in collecting data, writing, and submitting your thesis to the university. The solution is to keep it simple and ensure that it is feasible.