# Two Black scholars quit Cambridge and Harvard over plagiarism claims 2026-08-08T02:54:04+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Jason Arday resigned from Cambridge on August 5 after the university launched an investigation into his qualifications. The 37-year-old, once the youngest Cambridge professor in three years, faces allegations of plagiarism in his PhD thesis and papers, which he denies. His case echoes that of Claudine Gay, who resigned as Harvard president in January 2024 after a plagiarism finding in her PhD thesis. Harvard’s investigation upheld the claim, and conservative activists had targeted her over antisemitism testimony, according to The Hindu. Both scholars argued that the integrity process was weaponised against Black academics. The cases come amid debate over diversity hiring in elite universities. Critics say DEI policies have led to lower standards, while supporters call the allegations a motivated campaign. The Hindu notes that Mr. Arday, who grew up non-verbal and autistic, maintained his innocence at the time of writing. ## Coverage - thehindu.com Tags: Cambridge University, Claudine Gay, DEI, Harvard University, Jason Arday, plagiarism Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/two-black-scholars-quit-cambridge-and-harvard-over-plagiarism-claims/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/two-black-scholars-quit-cambridge-and-harvard-over-plagiarism-claims/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.