ALAPPUZHA: Toeing the line of the University Grants Commission (UGC), varsities in Kerala are refusing to entertain the services of retired professors as research guides.
While the Central and State governments are exploring ways to strengthen higher education, the UGC directive is set to affect the quality of research adversely, experts aver. The commission says only regular professors of a university or affiliated colleges can be recognised as research supervisors. External supervisors cannot be allowed, says the notification issued in May 2016.
Before the year was out, Kerala University responded by terminating retired professors from guiding research. MG University followed suit, explaining the termination of retired teachers in an order issued on January 24 this year. "We have allowed existing guides to go ahead with the present research. But we cannot allow new students to continue research under retired teachers," says MG University Vice-Chancellor Babu Sebastian.
The decision has not gone down well with the state's academia."The expertise of a retired teacher is an asset to the country," says M P Ajithkumar, associate professor, SD College, Alappuzha.
"The new regulation is a setback to serious research and a dilution of academic standards. Retired teachers assist research scholars without accepting remuneration. The UGC and the Ministry of Human Resource Development should rethink the flawed decision."
Girish Kumar, a philosophy professor at MS University in Baroda, too demanded a reconsideration.
"Decades-long research work moulds a teacher for new discoveries. His expertise should be an asset to younger generations," he says.
While academics like K N Harilal, professor at the Centre for Development Studies, feel universities should think about an alternative plan to utilise the skills of retired teachers, current research guide and Kerala University History professor Suresh Jnaneswar had this to say: "The UGC order is a termination of accumulated knowledge to the new generation. After the implementation of the order, the chances of good research will decline by 70 per cent. The maturity of a teacher attained at the age of 60 to 65 is being wasted by terminating his talents at the age of 56.
A plagiarism test carried out by the Kerala University a few months ago found only 10 per cent similarity in the dissertations submitted to the university in the past 20 years. That is the kind of strong research happening with the guidance of senior professors."
When contacted by Express, joint secretary Sunita Siwach, coordination, UGC planning and policy, declined to comment.
Source: Indian Express
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-- While the Central and State governments are exploring ways to strengthen higher education, the UGC directive is set to affect the quality of research adversely, experts aver. The commission says only regular professors of a university or affiliated colleges can be recognised as research supervisors. External supervisors cannot be allowed, says the notification issued in May 2016.
Before the year was out, Kerala University responded by terminating retired professors from guiding research. MG University followed suit, explaining the termination of retired teachers in an order issued on January 24 this year. "We have allowed existing guides to go ahead with the present research. But we cannot allow new students to continue research under retired teachers," says MG University Vice-Chancellor Babu Sebastian.
The decision has not gone down well with the state's academia."The expertise of a retired teacher is an asset to the country," says M P Ajithkumar, associate professor, SD College, Alappuzha.
"The new regulation is a setback to serious research and a dilution of academic standards. Retired teachers assist research scholars without accepting remuneration. The UGC and the Ministry of Human Resource Development should rethink the flawed decision."
Girish Kumar, a philosophy professor at MS University in Baroda, too demanded a reconsideration.
"Decades-long research work moulds a teacher for new discoveries. His expertise should be an asset to younger generations," he says.
While academics like K N Harilal, professor at the Centre for Development Studies, feel universities should think about an alternative plan to utilise the skills of retired teachers, current research guide and Kerala University History professor Suresh Jnaneswar had this to say: "The UGC order is a termination of accumulated knowledge to the new generation. After the implementation of the order, the chances of good research will decline by 70 per cent. The maturity of a teacher attained at the age of 60 to 65 is being wasted by terminating his talents at the age of 56.
A plagiarism test carried out by the Kerala University a few months ago found only 10 per cent similarity in the dissertations submitted to the university in the past 20 years. That is the kind of strong research happening with the guidance of senior professors."
When contacted by Express, joint secretary Sunita Siwach, coordination, UGC planning and policy, declined to comment.
Source: Indian Express
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