The Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry’s proposal to make research optional for college teachers appears to be sensible considering the fact that many a doctoral theses are being presented and cleared even when the work adds nothing significant to the existing body of knowledge.
The mere addition of a degree or title does not make a lecturer any better than another unless the work he or she has done adds value to the whole. In many cases, doctoral studies done by lecturers are irrelevant variations from what has already been done and the outcome is of little value to a line of research. Submission of a thesis and receiving a doctorate for the sake of getting a promotion on the job is a pointless exercise.
Each research work should be a building block in the development of the understanding of a particular subject. But that is not likely to happen if lateral thinking is not applied and there is no purpose behind the research. Although India has risen in its ranking in the Global Innovation Index (GII) from last year’s 66 to 60 this year, it has seen a decline in the ranking for number of researchers (Full-time Equivalent per million) from 77 last year to 81 this year.
It also slipped by one rung overall in research and development from 31 last year to 32, accompanied by a dip in rankings for gross expenditure on research and development from 41 to 43. The GII report for India also indicates that the data on which the report is based for certain parameters was not available for the base year of the study. It may be argued that the index is not representative of the ground reality and that different variables can affect rankings. But it is definitely an indicator that greater attention is required in the field of research.
Teachers in colleges do little justice to research, particularly in subjects that require intensive work, as they are not adequately funded for such work and do not have access to the right kind of resources to carry out work in right earnest. At other times, it’s just a lack of interest that derails proper research.
Under the circumstances, research work is best left to lecturers at universities. Although, one is not sure how much university professors contribute to the world of research in any case. In India, most jobs are done with little attention to detail. In the area of research, passion, perseverance and attention to details is everything.
Therefore, research has been a weak link in almost all spheres, and not just in relation to academics. Research in agricultural practices, weather forecast, applied sciences, natural energy, defence, could take the nation far ahead. But India seems stuck or dependent on other nations in most of these cases.
By removing doctorate as a precondition for promotion at the college level, the HRD ministry has freed college teachers to engage in activities that could be beneficial to society with the involvement of students. But it remains to be seen how productively the extra time would be utilised by academicians.
There is also the danger of a decline in academic inclinations of teachers. While providing lecturers in colleges alternative means to prove their abilities and become eligible for a promotion, it is also important to ensure that the work they do has some academic relevance as well. Otherwise, this one step might also open doors for biased promotions using contacts in the right places.
Freeing college teachers from the rigours of research which requires both time and resources might be acceptable but the Academic Performance Index should not be modified in such a way that it relieves teachers from all academic pursuits for a promotion. Unless the alternatives of engagement leading to promotions are well thought out, the proposed change will only lead to further dip in the quality of instruction offered in colleges. Also, teachers who come forward to do research should be encouraged if their work shows the potential for genuine contribution to a subject.