India Research Watch (IRW)’s Post

In my latest story for Chemistry World, I dive deep into the tactics that certain higher educational institutions use to game the system and boost their NIRF Rankings. Thanks to Achal Agrawal, PhD, Moumita Koley, PhD, Prof. V Ramgopal Rao and @Abhishek Singh for sharing their valuable insights on the situation.

Today, I will be sharing what happens after getting into a PhD program - After upgrading to PhD, the first task is to appear for the Comprehensive exam, which we called #compre for short. It is a two-part exam - the first is a written, and the other is a #viva. For the viva exam, one needs to give 5 research articles in your area to the committee from which they will select one, and you need to give a critical analysis of the article and present your findings as a presentation. One gets two chances at it, and if the scholar fails twice, one’s registration is cancelled, and one can say #sayonara to your PhD dreams. But, lucky for me, I cracked it in the first attempt itself. Next are the two special courses: a literature review of your area of research, and the other is replicating an experimental or a simulation work of your area of research. After spending one year on this, I did a spectacular job as my guide was glad about it. Will give a sneak peak to the daily work of a research scholar at Indian Institute of Technology, Madras in the next article. Till then, have a great week ahead.

The nature of issues listed, assuming all being true, surpass imaginations of students and faculties at places like IISc and IITs. If it reads pathetic, it must be unbearable when experienced in real. What kind of researchers such universities would produce? PhD is a sacred path. It's not a degree program (I have written about this earlier). Such universities and faculties must be blocked from offering PhD. In fact I strongly believe that PhD must not be allowed to be offered by every university. #UCG and #MoE must implement strict measures to ensure the quality of research and PhD training is not suffered or compromised. India better produce lesser PhDs, but without a compromise in the quality of training. In any case, a good and bold step taken by this student. Students from other universities, facing similar issues, should also speak up. https://lnkd.in/gv8F5Ast

I don't know why I have earned Ph.D. degree from a national reputed institute (Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay) and feeling bad why I made that mistake. Simply a waste of money, time, and energy. To work in academia, a Ph.D. degree from tier-3 colleges or degree from the same institute (if you are faculty in the institute) is more than sufficient (only in India). No value for knowledge, no value for experience, no value for being updated, etc.. Publish as many as stupid papers (review papers in all the fields not relevant to you). All is the number game.

If there is one article you can read to understand NIRF and its fundamental flaws, read this 👇

Detailed article that shows the major problems with NIRF and why it needs a complete review. Article by our founder Achal Agrawal, PhD and Moumita Koley, PhD (DST-Center for Policy Research, IISc) In the article: - 55% of NIRF parameters are shown to have glaring problems with them - Reasons for extreme pressure to publish due to NIRF Rankings is explored - Recommendations are made to improve NIRF Given its importance in decision making at various levels as well as university funding, it is important to pay close attention to NIRF. The parameters define what the universities target and if we get it wrong, the universities will end up chasing completely useless goals. We hope this article reaches all the stakeholders : students, parents, employers, academia, anyone who is related to or is affected by higher education and alert them to not use NIRF in their decision making. A review will only happen if we all raise the issue loudly and clearly. Our country deserves much better than the current state of affairs. https://lnkd.in/gaGpmdfV

NEP 2020 has been implemented gradually. Some universities in India had already started accepting PhD applications from candidates with 4years ug course provided they satisfy certain criteria. But now UGC has finally announced, one can directly apply for a PhD after 4years graduation with 75% marks. Read more at the site of The Hindu.

The UGC's initiative to launch the "PhD Excellence Citation" portal is a significant move toward promoting quality research and recognizing exceptional doctoral work across disciplines. This step not only encourages researchers to maintain high academic standards but also positions India as a hub for impactful and innovative research on the global stage. It fosters a culture of excellence and inspires universities to refine their research programs. However, alongside this positive development, I would request University Grants Commission (UGC) and MAMIDALA JAGADESH KUMAR Sir to kindly address the issue of honorary degrees being sold in the market. Such practices dilute the value of academic achievements and create an unfair playing field for those who dedicate years to rigorous research and earning their PhDs. Implementing strict measures to regulate and monitor the awarding of honorary degrees would protect the credibility of academic institutions and ensure that these recognitions are given only for genuine merit or contributions to society. A combined focus on celebrating excellence through initiatives like the PhD Excellence Citation and safeguarding the integrity of academic qualifications will strengthen the overall higher education ecosystem and reinforce global trust in India's academic credentials.

Master's degree NO MORE a mandatory stepping stone for PhD The University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced a new rule allowing students with four-year undergraduate degrees to directly appear for the National Eligibility Test (NET) and pursue PhD programmes! Previously, a master's degree was mandatory for NET eligibility. This change opens doors for students to dive deeper into research fields without an additional master's degree. Here's a quick summary of the new regulation: -> Students with a four-year bachelor's degree (minimum 75% marks) can now appear for the NET. -> They can apply for PhD programmes in any field, irrespective of their bachelor's discipline. -> Relaxation in marks may be available for reserved categories. This is a significant step towards promoting research opportunities in India. What are your thoughts on this new rule? Follow Sakthi Rajan for more such insights!

PhD Thesis Readability: A Social Media Experiment My previous post discussed a recent article from The Economist that highlighted how academic writing is becoming harder to read. Personally, I feel that academic writing often uses jargon and complex sentence structures, making it challenging for non-specialists to understand. Ideally, it should be written in a manner that is accessible to a broader audience, including those outside the specific specialization. This accessibility can inspire others to explore and further develop the presented knowledge. Subha B. Basu, PhD/MBA argued that reading PhDs is not for non-specialists; it's specifically meant for PhDs in their field! He believes that a thesis must convince 3-8 other PhDs (the thesis committee) that they have materially contributed to the field, passed all requirements, and that their thesis is in the shape of a doctoral dissertation. He suggested this experiment: to post the abstract of my PhD work as a post and see how many on LinkedIn understand my work. I'm not of the opinion that everyone should understand my doctoral thesis, but at least people from a similar subject area such as chemistry, physics, materials science etc. So, below I am sharing the abstract of my PhD thesis. The work was carried out in the laboratory of Prof. Jayakannan at the National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Trivandrum and my degree were awarded by the University of Kerala, India. I request my LinkedIn connections to go through the abstract and let me know how difficult it is to read and understand this work. #PhD #thesis #dissertation #academics #research