GU professors fight shy of research-oriented labour

Teaching and research have always gone side by side in university education. However, Gujarat University has not been able to give much importance to this aspect. The university has failed to earmark 20 per cent of its resources for promoting research and improving its quality, as required under the guidelines decided by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

A majority of the teaching staff at Gujarat University has neither been involved in any research work nor had articles published in national and international journals referred by the UGC.

For advancement in their careers, the members of the teaching staff need to have at least five research papers published in such journals, which include Chemical Abstracts, Bioscience Reporter, South Asian Journal of Socio-Political Studies, Journal of Quantitative Economics, Indian Journal of Training and Development, Indian Economic Review, American Economic Review, Sankhya — The Indian Journal of Statistics and the Indian Journal of Social Work, among others.

According to officials of Gujarat University, more than 60 per cent of the science stream faculty has regularly conducted research, and had papers published in various reputed journals. The strength of the science stream faculty is around 50. However, the corresponding figure in the arts stream is less than 5 per cent, among around 40 staff members.

“Twelve papers have been published in international journals in the last year. We have also used the special assistant programme (SAP) of the UGC, which ended with the 5-year plan last year. The UGC has now granted minor research projects. This year, we have been able to submit only six projects,” head of the department of chemistry, UC Pande said.

The irony of the situation is that many in the faculty of social science and school of psychology are unable to name even five national and international journals referred by the UGC.

“How can we be expected to conduct research as well as regular teaching? We do not even have the basic infrastructure to do so. There are good journals available in the university library. I have written books and articles for some journals, which I do not think are nationals or referred, but it is not our fault since the university does not support research,” head of the department of sociology, MH Makwana said.

In the department of sociology, lecturer Gaurang Jani’s works are the only ones to be published in such journals, including those of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and the National Aids Control Organisation.

The department of economic has only four members, and lecturer Hina Sindhu is the only one of them to have had their work published in a reputed journal, in the Indian Journal of Labour Economics. She is also the only one to be involved in research work.

English language is a hindrance
The English language seems to be a hindrance for the faculties in the arts stream. Many faculty members cannot write in English or are not confident enough to present papers in English medium. "Many faculty members cannot write or speak in English because they have studied in Gujarati medium. However, the trend is changing," head of the psychology department, Ashwin Janasari said. Another head of department, on the condition of anonymity, said he had studied in Gujarati medium and could not write in English. Major resource material such as books and journals are available only in English. "Also, the computers provided by the university do not have Gujarati fonts. So, I cannot use the computers," he said.

GU to be digitalised
GU V-C Parimal Trivedi on Wednesday said the campus will be digitalised through network-highway computers in the next three-four months. Rs50 lakh will be spent on this project. “We have already appointed an Isro scientist, Dr Bohra, to look after the project. After completion, facilities including videoconferencing, intranet and conferencing with affiliated colleges will be available. Students will also be able to open mail account on gu.com,” Trivedi said. The project is being implemented under the second phase of computerisation wherein the campus will be united under a high-server mode. GU will use EduSET and create nodal centres in rural colleges.

Rs95 lakh ugc grant
Gujarat University has received an Rs95 lakh grant from the University Grant Commission (UGC). The maintenance grant received under the eleventh plan of the University Grant Commission will be used for infrastructural development in the schools of various faculties affiliated to Gujarat university. Along with this, the grant will be used for digitalisation of the university. This grant from the UGC will also be used for development of the infrastructure in college campuses, the upgrading of scientific instrument. For digitalisation of the university campus and to equip it with fibre-optic network, a scientist has been appointed.