Though it is too late to wish for a new year that started two weeks before, I must confess that even this belated wish was triggered by a recent 'Current Science' editorial by P.Balram. I also started thinking about how worthy is publishing something for the sake of gaining the so-called impact that I can use to 'sell' myself to do research. Unfortunately, quality and quantity are two mutually exclusive entities in certain situations. I am someone who belongs to that group of researchers who are prepared to wait for 'the defining moment' in research that gives at first personal satisfaction of having obtained something meaningful, before sharing it with my peers. Am I realistic and practical? Well, according to the requirements set by many of the institutions that recruit or promote researchers, people like me would be considered 'no impact'' impractical and unrealistic researchers.
The present system in judging a scientist in India is primarily based on numbers and not on interest to pursue research or even the quality of it. I would only be plagiarizing Balram's editorial content if I write a few points that he discussed. I only request you to read his editorial. I have my own suggestions (two of them - slightly different from Balram's) to improve scientific research in India. I restrict my suggestions to identifying and encouraging quality in the present stock of researchers who have already started:
1. Each institution should insist on ideas or concepts coming from the bottom. For this purpose, researchers must be encouraged to present, defend and pursue a new idea in a small way alongside on-going research that is dependent on whims and fancies of funding agencies etc. Main criterion for developing the idea should be simplicity.
2. Tenure positions should be based on quality of thought process and dedication of a particular researcher rather than on quantity of output.
Doing curiosity driven science in India is like an Utopian dream. Nevertheless, if small initiatives are taken by researchers like us today, perhaps future generations of researchers in India may be satisfied. I don't have anything more to blog... because too much of blogging on a single topic may bring down its 'impact'!!!
2 comments:
"One can only hope that the new year and the near
future will add more good citizens, good teachers and
great researchers to our institutions"
this is the last sentence in P.Balram's editorial.
In my view, so far our science education and research is concerned, this can be achieved in India by following,
-minimum standards to give a degree by an university. the universities or the private institution should be ranked by its productivity (qualitative) in research e.g. how many good projects they are giving which will help the poeple.
-there should be some committee which will closely observe the research done by the university or by the private institutions where the public money is granted for the research, if we are doing some research it should be useful for the public whose money we are spending for the research the department who are granting the fund should also consider the novelty of the particular research proposed if this is done properly then the half of the problem will be solved .
once we start to think on the novelty of the work then it definitely helps the science community to improve, in my view we are lacking there.
nowadays we are running behind the technology. the basic science is more important than the technology . If we are having well knowledge in the basic science then we will know where the problem is and we can solve it. from higher secondary if we teach the importance of research in growth of our country we can imporve our research quality.
-as sos said tenure track which is followed by most of the western countries will also help.
If we make some reforms in the education system this can be achieved.
Can start with a positive approach we are “in need of” basic research instead lack of basic research. Why we are not started basic science designing experiments because it will take lot of years to prove due to our primary Education system and the vital one, no funds/moral supports are sufficiently provided with this kind of Research.
To amend this, sos and path finder said, the research institution needs to initiate the account of designing basic experimental ideas and its predominantly lead to use of technology. For example, in older post of this blog, they conducted experiments with the known basic ideology of lizard tail’s activities to making robotic machines. Technology is essential and cannot be denied. But, in most laboratories, nowadays its used as a fascinating one.
This kind of research quoted above takes place at least in a reputed institution; it will automatically change the mindset of all universities scientist in making Education pattern/syllabus as an effective one for students and hopefully this will induce to transform our Education System right from the beginning.
This is not substantiate and may be a foolish thing. But, as of my opinion, if we promote basic research, teachers pay attention to us and they will teach students as a logical way. It is also one kind of reforming the Educational system to revolutionize the forthcoming students.
Last but not the least
Start logically (education), explore peacefully (research)
Post a Comment