Dr. Manikarnika Dutta, a renowned Oxford historian, is facing deportation from the United Kingdom due to exceeding the permissible number of days aboard while conducting research in India.
This decision by the UK Home Office has sparked widespread outrage within the academic community, with many questioning the rigidity of immigration rules that fail to account for the realities of scholarly research.
Dr. Dutta 37 is an assistant professor at University College Dublin and has been a prominent figure in the UK’s academic landscape for over a decade. She moved to the UK in 2012 to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Oxford, later transitioning into doctoral research and holding positions at both Oxford and the University of Bristol. Her work focuses on British imperial history, necessitating a request for access to historical archives in India.
The UK Home Office rules stipulate that applicants for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) cannot spend more than 548 days outside the country over 10 years.
However, Dr. Dutta’s extensive research trips and international conferences led to her being abroad for 691 days, exceeding the limit by 143 days. Despite her lawyer, Naga Kandiah, arguing that these trips were essential for her academic obligations, the Home Office rejected her ILR application.
Controversy and Legal Challenge
The decision has been met with disbelief and criticism, particularly as Dr. Dutta’s husband, Dr. Souvik Naha, a senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow, was granted ILR under the same application process. The Home Office also controversially claimed that Dr. Dutta does not have a family life in the UK, despite being married and living with her husband for over a decade.
“I was shocked when I got an email saying I have to leave, “Dr. Dutta expressed to Overserver. “I have lived here for 12 years. A large part of my adult life has been in the UK since I came to study at Oxford. I never thought something like this would happen to me.”
Her lawyer has launched a legal challenge against the decision, emphasizing the necessity of her research trips for her academic work. The Home Office has agreed to reconsider the case within three months; the decision may remain unchanged.
Reactions and Implications
The case has sparked an outcry in academic circles, with many arguing that the UK’s immigration rules are overly restrictive and fail to accommodate the needs of researchers. Historian and author William Dalrymple described the decision as “appalling and ridiculous.”
This situation highlights the challenges faced by academics who must travel extensively for their work, often finding themselves caught between professional obligations and immigration regulations. As the UK continues to navigate its immigration policies, cases like Dr Dutta’s underscore the need for more nuanced approaches that recognize the complexities of modern academic careers.