Varsity research director to probe malpractices

Faced with mounting complaints about malpractices on the research front, the University of Kerala has asked its research director, V. Prasannakumar, to inquire into such allegations and suggest ways of restoring credibility to doctoral work in the university.

This was among the decisions taken at a high-level meeting held here on Wednesday in which Vice-Chancellor A. Jayakrishnan, Pro Vice-Chancellor J. Prabhash, Registrar K.A. Hashim and Dr. Prasannakumar were present.

One complaint relating to the research sector — mentioned in an anonymous letter written by ‘a group of supervising teachers' to the Vice-Chancellor — is that many research scholars sign up for jobs at different places after registering for doctoral work at the university. Therefore, they end up getting their fellowship and a salary from the institution where they work.

It was decided that the first of the coursework examinations for research scholars will be held in December. These examinations will be for scholars who registered for research work in July 2009 and January 2010.

Two of three papers proposed will be based on the subject of research, while the third one will be on research methodology. A scholar will have to clear all the three papers, scoring at least 50 per cent marks, in the first three years of research work. Failing this, the registration of the candidate concerned will be cancelled.

According to a university order dated May 21, the research director is required, among other things, to oversee registration for Ph.D. programmes, the associated coursework and examinations, the pre-submission seminar and the open defence of the theses.

“As many powers hitherto enjoyed by the Vice-Chancellor and the Pro Vice-Chancellor have been delegated to the research director, he can function autonomously in most situations,” a top university official said.

Appointed in May

Even though Dr. Prasannakumar was appointed research director in May, the university administration's bureaucratic inertia ensured that his powers were not delineated fully till Wednesday's meeting, which was initiated by the Vice-Chancellor. Consequently, the research director could not access any research-related university files or take meaningful decisions.

“Many academics view the appointment of a research director with trepidation,” a senior professor told The Hindu. “A proper inquiry into the research situation in the varsity will see skeletons tumbling out of many a cupboard.”