Introduction
When someone is awarded an honorary doctorate, reactions often split into two camps — admiration or suspicion. While families, communities, and well-wishers may celebrate the honour, critics are quick to question its value, especially if it comes from a digital platform or includes a processing fee.
But here’s the truth: honorary recognition, when awarded ethically, is not a shortcut or a scam — it’s a celebration of contribution, legacy, and service. Instead of suspicion, what it really deserves is a round of applause.
Understanding the Real Purpose of Honorary Titles
Honorary doctorates have existed for centuries. They were created to:
- Acknowledge exceptional contributions outside traditional academics
- Recognise lifetime achievements in fields like social service, spirituality, innovation, or leadership
- Give voice to those who have changed lives, but never stepped inside a university
In that sense, honorary recognition is not about grades or exams. It is about impact — and acknowledging that knowledge comes in many forms.
Why Are Some People Suspicious of Honorary Awards?
The suspicion often comes from:
- Lack of understanding between honorary and academic doctorates
- Misleading YouTube videos or opinionated posts
- Mistaking legitimate honorary titles for unregulated fake degrees
- Misinformation that any fee equals fraud
- Confusion created by unauthorised bodies claiming false affiliations
It’s time to separate fact from fear. Honorary recognition, especially when clearly stated as such, is not a fake degree — it is a valid honour. And it comes with clear ethical guidelines about its usage.
What Ethical Honorary Platforms Are Doing Right
Universities like Cambridge Digital University (registered in the USA) and Euro Asian University (registered in Estonia, Europe) offer honorary awards through a documented, transparent, and globally aware process:
- Contributions are verified before titles are awarded
- The word “honorary” is always used clearly and correctly
- The title is awarded not for academic admission, but for social and cultural recognition
- A one-time processing/documentation fee is charged fairly and never hidden
- Ceremonies are conducted with dignity, citations, and international participation
When recognition is done right, there is nothing to hide and everything to celebrate.
Why Celebration Matters More Than Doubt
An honorary title is often a once-in-a-lifetime moment for someone who has:
- Spent 30 years helping rural women learn skills
- Run a free coaching centre for slum children
- Protected forest land through local activism
- Counseled thousands without ever charging a fee
- Led a spiritual movement without asking for fame
Shouldn’t such a person be applauded instead of doubted?
Celebrating them:
- Validates their life’s work
- Encourages the next generation to serve with pride
- Brings visibility to meaningful efforts
- Creates a ripple of positivity in communities
Suspicion, on the other hand, only serves those who have never stepped into the field.
Honorary Recognition Is Not a Shortcut — It’s a Spotlight
Critics often say, “People are buying their way into doctorates.” That would only be true if the title was being misused for academic roles or sold without merit. But with genuine honorary platforms:
- The title is not used for academic research or faculty recruitment
- It is clearly stated as a symbolic and honorary title
- It is conferred with documentation, ceremony, and citation
What is being given is not power, but visibility. Not entitlement, but encouragement.
Why So Many Recipients Feel Deep Gratitude
For many, the honorary doctorate brings:
- A sense of personal validation
- Emotional pride for family, especially in Indian culture
- A story to tell future generations
- New opportunities to mentor, speak, or lead
It may not get someone a job or seat in a university — and it’s not meant to. But it does uplift their identity, especially in a society where formal degrees often determine respect.
Let’s Honour Recognition Itself
If we begin to mock or devalue honorary recognition as a whole, we risk:
- Silencing those from non-traditional backgrounds
- Ignoring grassroots changemakers
- Discouraging public celebration of good work
- Creating an environment where only formal academic success is seen as valid
That’s not progress — that’s elitism. Real honour should not depend on format. It should depend on honesty and intent.
Who Can Rightfully Celebrate an Honorary Title?
Anyone who has been:
- Recognised by a legitimate institution
- Awarded through a documented process
- Cited for real, verifiable impact
- Using the title ethically — not for academic misrepresentation
This includes teachers, artists, spiritual leaders, health workers, self-made professionals, trainers, and many more.
The celebration is not just personal. It’s for every student, mentee, community member, or family that was impacted by that person’s work.
Conclusion
Honorary recognition is a beautiful thing — when it comes from a place of sincerity and is received with humility. It marks not just what a person has done, but who they have become through their service.
We must shift from suspicion to support. From mocking to meaning. From doubt to dignity.
Honorary doctorates are not about claiming academic superiority. They are about honouring journeys that matter. When awarded responsibly and received with pride, they deserve celebration — not criticism.
Let’s not be quick to question what could instead be an opportunity to lift someone higher.