Introduction
When we hear the word “education,” many people think only of classrooms, degrees, and formal qualifications. But in truth, learning happens everywhere — in villages, in homes, through life experiences, and even from individuals who may not hold formal designations.
So when it comes to awarding honorary doctorates, an important question arises: Should they be reserved only for formal academics? Or should we also honour those who have spent their lives teaching, guiding, and educating informally?
The answer lies in understanding that education is not always institutional — it is also deeply human, lived, and shared.
Defining the Word ‘Educator’
An educator is not just someone with a teaching post or a university badge. An educator can be:
- A retired soldier mentoring village youth
- A homeopathic practitioner training apprentices
- A self-taught artist preserving folk traditions
- A grandmother teaching health, values, and food wisdom
- A community elder guiding children in moral stories or language
These are informal educators, and their impact is often deeper than any textbook.
If their teachings have influenced hundreds, even thousands, of people over the years — do they not deserve recognition too?
Why Honorary Doctorates Were Created
Honorary doctorates were never meant to be academic replacements. They were designed to honour impact, not certificates.
Universities worldwide have awarded honorary titles to musicians, athletes, spiritual leaders, social workers, and yes — informal educators.
Why? Because real learning does not always need a syllabus. Sometimes, it just needs dedication and selfless sharing.
Today, digital universities like Cambridge Digital University and Euro Asian University are bringing this spirit back into focus — recognising those who have given years to knowledge sharing outside the four walls of formal institutions.
What Makes an Informal Educator Worthy of Honour?
Not every informal educator is eligible — there must be a clear contribution. This includes:
- Long-term commitment to teaching or mentoring
- Unique methods or content not found in schools
- Influence over a community or younger generation
- Respect earned through consistency and integrity
- Cultural, scientific, or moral teachings preserved through effort
When a yoga teacher trains rural youth for 20 years, or a tribal elder teaches plant medicine in his region, their contribution is undeniable. An honorary title is a thank you from the academic world — not an exchange, not a shortcut, but an acknowledgment.
How Honorary Recognition Empowers Informal Educators
Many informal teachers work without identity cards, salary slips, or media presence. Recognition through a formal honorary doctorate:
- Builds confidence and legitimacy
- Encourages more youth to learn from them
- Helps them get invited to platforms and events
- Gives them dignity in social circles
- Enhances their profile for workshops or training sessions
In simple terms, it turns silent contribution into publicly valued service.
Should Academic Institutions Be Afraid?
Some critics worry that honouring non-academics dilutes the value of the doctorate. But this worry is misplaced, for three reasons:
- Honorary is not the same as earned PhD — both have different purposes.
- Formal PhDs are for research and teaching jobs. Honorary titles are symbolic awards.
- Academic respect increases when institutions show humility to honour work beyond their walls.
In fact, many professors openly support such awards — especially when given after due verification and ceremony.
How Digital Platforms Are Making This Possible
Traditional universities often have limited reach. But digital universities can identify and award grassroots educators using technology, remote interviews, community recommendations, and structured processes.
For example:
- A rural health awareness worker in Tamil Nadu
- A classical music guru teaching in Assam without a music degree
- A crafts teacher who trains young girls in Rajasthan villages
These individuals are no less teachers than those in colleges. Digital convocations allow them to be honoured in front of family — sometimes for the first time in their lives.
And all this can be done without waiting years for government bodies to notice.
Overcoming the “Only Academics Deserve It” Mindset
This mindset is slowly fading. In Indian culture, the guru was never only in a school. Every village had its storytellers, priests, martial arts instructors, midwives, and homegrown philosophers.
Today, we must ask: Has our definition of educator become too narrow?
By celebrating honorary awards for informal educators, we return to an older, wiser tradition — one that values knowledge regardless of its packaging.
Ethical Use and Transparency Matter
As always, clarity is essential:
- The word “Honorary” must be included
- Recipients should not claim academic authority
- Universities must offer disclaimers
- The process should be application-based and merit-focused
When all of this is in place, these honorary doctorates become powerful bridges between formal and informal learning.
Conclusion
Only academics? No. Educators of all kinds — formal or informal, certified or self-taught — deserve honour if they have created change, passed on wisdom, and shaped lives.
An honorary doctorate is not a claim to research excellence. It is a symbol of gratitude, respect, and public honour.
Whether you’re a rural maths tutor, a spiritual mentor, or a lifelong science communicator without a formal degree — your work deserves to be seen. And digital honorary platforms are helping make that happen.
Because education has many faces — and all of them are worthy of recognition.