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Improving the quality of PhD research
Iran tries to get rid of western influence
Transparent procedure to appoint VCs soon Campus Notes
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Improving the quality of PhD research The essential element in improving the standard of PhD programmes is that the topic allotted to a research scholar should be original and there should not be duplication or any repetition of any research work being done at other Indian universities. In order to improve quality of research work for PhD programme, the UGC should create a cell where information from all Indian universities regarding the registration of topics in a particular subject for PhD is available right at the initial stage of research. As soon as PG Board of Studies of a university clears a topic, it should be sent to the UGC and only after clearance from the UGC, should student be finally registered for PhD. Alternatively, universities can also take some initiatives of their own. The evaluation system of a PhD thesis is the root cause of our abysmally low standard of research. Unfortunately, many students who have no aptitude for research, are first admitted to a PhD programme and worse still, acquire the degree because the theses are sent for evaluation to "friendly" people. In most of the universities, the supervisors themselves suggest the names of PhD examiners! The supervisor always looks for safe examiners, and if he does not know any, he takes the help of his colleagues to procure the names of such safe examiners. Basically, the policy is, 'You scratch my back, I will scratch yours.' As a result of this mal practice, the supervisor has a casual approach and does not take much interest in scrutinizing the thesis of his student because he knows that irrespective of the quality of the PhD thesis, the student will get the work approved as it is going to be evaluated by his friend. Some examiners even dare to evaluate the PhD thesis, which is not at all related to their field of specialisation. This approach is the main cause of our mediocre PhD degrees as the supervisor is not bothered about the rejection of the thesis. Something serious has to be done with the evaluation system if we really want to improve our standard. Firstly, the supervisor should not be involved at any stage, in selecting the panel of the examiners. This will make the supervisor work harder and take the PhD thesis of his student more seriously. Secondly, there should be a centralised system of evaluation. The UGC can play a major role in this direction. It should build a data bank of all specialised serious and good workers in the country who can act as examiners of the PhD thesis. The universities should send the PhD thesis to the UGC, from the names of student, supervisor and their affiliations. Alternatively, the university can have its own data bank and pool of examiners in a particular subject without bringing it to the knowledge of chairperson or supervisor. The evaluation should be strictly on merit. Right from Matriculation exam to MA, the identity of examines is kept secret from the examiners. However, it is strange that in this examination the identity of candidates is not secret from. Not only is this, even the names of supervisors boldly printed on the title of thesis/dissertations. As a result, most of the examiners do not evaluate the thesis/dissertation but write reports/award grades proportionately to the status of the supervisor. While sending PhD Thesis/M.Phil dissertations for evaluation to external examiners, the identity of both supervisor as well as candidates should be kept a closely guarded secret. To improve quality of Higher Research, Video Recording of Viva-Voca of PhD Candidates is a must. If Viva-Voca of PhD candidate is excellent, then the video recording of such a Viva-Voca will help future candidates for PhD learn and to improve their own performance. The recording of Viva-Voca will act as a deterrent against malpractices. PhD candidate should be the pride of universities. They are the future researchers and teachers. We must exercise extra care in ensuring the quality of their research work. The writer is Professor at Kurukshetra University,
Kurukshetra.
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Iran tries to get rid of western influence Iran is making changes by putting in Islamic values in its education system to reportedly get rid of western influence. In universities, the curricula of law, psychology, sociology and other studies would reportedly be altered, with officials from the Science Ministry, which has the responsibility for higher education, working to strip out what they describe as western theories and replace them with Islamic ones, The Washington Post reported. The Education Ministry's plan, titled "The Program for Fundamental Evolution in Education and Training," envisages schools becoming "neighbourhood cultural bases" where teachers will provide "life" guidance, assisted by selected clerics and members of the paramilitary Basij force. Dozens of professors have already retired or been fired on the grounds that they did not sufficiently support the new policy, the paper said. The changes are also aimed at minimising the growing influence of a middle class that increasingly embraces individualism and shares modern aspirations. Iran's leaders partly blame contamination of the country's education system, which in the early years of the 1979 Islamic revolution was shaped by clerics and ideologues, for spreading such "western" ideas. Many students, professors and parents fear that the plans will undermine Iran's traditionally high academic standards. ANI
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Transparent procedure to appoint VCs soon Amid allegations of corruption in appointment of of Vice Chancellors and pro-vice chancellors, Bihar government today decided to adopt 'a transparent' procedure for such appointments, besides setting up a board for recruitment of lecturers in universities. State Human Resources Department Minister P K Sahi said a transparent procedure will be adopted for appointments of VCs and Pro-VCs with request made to the Governor, as the Chancellor of universities, to take the department into confidence. A four-member committee set up by the HRD has recommended a set procedures for appointment of VCs, Pro-VCs and other key persons, including registrars, controllers of examinations in universities, he said. The panel has suggested constitution of a search committee, as prevalent in other states, for listing names of prospective candidates. They should be university professors with at least ten years of teaching, research and administrative experience, the committee suggested so in its report. Sahi said similarly, the state government was of firm view that the lecturers of colleges and universities be appointed by a commission/ board for which a suitable law will be brought in the state legislature during the budget session. The commission will comprise experts on all subjects and ensure that jobs were given to meritorious aspirants, he said. Senior JD(U) leader Shivanand Tiwari yesterday alleged that corruption was "rampant" in Bihar's higher education sector and called upon Sahi to take immediate effective measures to check the menace. PTI
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Campus Notes With the introduction of two new six-year courses-B.Sc Agriculture (Hons) and B.Sc Home Science (Hons)-for undergraduates after matriculation, the number of students has increased from 954 in 2008-09 to 1,159 in 2009-10 and 1,392 in 2010-11. The initiative to introduce these courses was taken by the Vice-Chancellor to attract rural students. The corresponding figure for postgraduate students was 627, 733 and 932, respectively. The total number of students on roll on the campus has risen to 2,605 in 2010-11 against 1,793 in 2008-09.
Teaching through videoconferencing
Punjab Agricultural University and Moscow State University of Agricultural Engineering (MSUAE) are having collaboration on teaching Russian agriculture and agribusiness policies courses and South Asian agribusiness courses, respectively, to the students of Kansas State University of the USA, through videoconferencing. The Russian agriculture and agribusiness policies courses are taught by Dr Pavel Sorokin while that of the South Asian agribusiness by Dr R. S. Sidhu, Dean, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, PAU. Dr Pavel Sorolin regularly visits PAU to review the courses.
V-C participates in major events
Dr Manjit Singh Kang, Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, has been actively involved in some of the major events which took place in Mumbai and Delhi during the months of November and December. Besides participating in the meeting of few selected industrialists, which was addressed by the
US President Barack Obama during his visit to India, Dr Kang was invited to participate in the two-day centenary celebrations of CEBI (Commonwealth Dr Kang also participated in a two-day seminar held in Delhi on the national food security, which was presided over by President Pratibha Patil. Dr Kang chaired a session with Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda who delivered the keynote address.
Seminar on climate change
To develop a global view on the change in climate for agriculture, the
university will organise a three-day international seminar on climate change from February 6 to February 8. Eminent scientists from various parts of the world will participate in this seminar and deliberate on various issues relating to climate change. Contributed by K. S. Chawla
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ADMISSION
DEADLINE Indian Council of Agricultural
Research, Education Division, Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan II, Pusa, New
Delhi 110012 All India Entrance Exam Eligibility:
For 1: 10+2 (50%) with (PCM / PCB / PCMB / PCA / PCH) Age:
For 1: 17-23 years (31 August 2011) Exam: For 1: 16 April 2011 For 2: 17 April 2011 Application Form & Details: Employment News (01 07 January 2011) / Website Application Deadline: 15 February 2011 Armed Forces Indian Air Force, Central Airmen
Selection Board, PO Box No 11807, New Delhi 110010 Senior Non-Commissioned Officer in Group X (Education Instructor) Trades Eligibility: Unmarried
/ married Indian / Nepal males; BEd and 2 years teaching experience: Selection: Written Test: March 2011; Physical Fitness Test; Interview; Medical Exam. Application Form: Send
by ordinary post in prescribed format with all required document to with a
unstamped self addressed envelope (24 cm x 10 cm) to the above address.
Superscribe: a) For Group X (Education Instructor) Trades, Application Deadline: 17 January 2011 Art & Design The Apparel Training & Design
Centre (ATDC), A 223, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase I, New Delhi 110020 (M/o
Textiles, GoI) 1) Diploma in Apparel Manufacturing Technology (1 year) 2) Diploma in Knitwear Manufacturing Technology (1 year) 3) Diploma in Fashion Design Technology (1 year) 4) Diploma in Apparel Quality Assurance & Compliance (1 year) 5) Diploma in Advanced Pattern Making & CAD (1 year) 6) Certificate in Production Supervision & Quality Control (6 months) 7) Certificate in Apparel
Pattern Making (6 month s) Application Form: Send Rs 200/ - by DD favouring "Apparel Training & Design Centre," payable at New Delhi at the above address / In cash : Rs 150/- from designated centres / Download from website. Details: Employment News (01 07 January 2011) / Website. Application Deadline: 27 January 2011 Civil Services Staff Selection Commission, Block
No 12, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110504 Junior Engineers (Civil & Electrical) Exam 2011 Eligibility: Diploma
(Civil / Electrical / Mechanical Engg) Selection: Test: 27 March 2011 Application Form & Details: Employment News (01 - 07 January 2011) / Website. Application Deadline: 31 January 2011 Public Service Commission, Uttar
Pradesh, 10 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Allahabad 211018 (UP) Combined State / Upper Subordinate Services Exam 2011 Eligibility: Bachelors Degree DoB: 02 July 76 - 01 July 90 Selection: Entrance Test; Interview Application Form & Details: Employment News (01 07 January 2011) / Website Application Deadline: 28 January 2011 Engineering National Power Training Institute
(WR), South Ambazari Road, Gopal Nagar, Nagpur 440022 (Mah) Post Diploma in Thermal Power Plant Engineering (1 year) Eligibility:
3 years Diploma in Mechanical / Electrical / Control & Instrumentation Engg
(60%) Selection: Merit (% of marks). Application Form: Send application in prescribed format with required documents, 2 passport-size photographs and Rs 600/ - by DD favouring "NPTI," payable at Nagpur, to the Principal Director at the above address / Download from website. Details: Employment News (25 31 December 2010) / Website Application Deadline: 17 January 2011 Centre for Development of Advanced
Computing (C-DAC), A 34, Phase VIII, Industrial Area, Mohali 160071 (Punj) (GoI,
M/o Communication & IT) 1) Advanced Diploma in CADD
Engg (26 weeks) Eligibility: For 1: BE
/ Diploma in (Mechanical / Production / Automobile / Industrial Engg) For 3: BTech
/ BE (Electronics / Electrical / Electronics & Communication /
Instrumentation / Computer Sc & Engg / Computer Engg) / MSc (Electronics) /
MCA / Degree or Diploma in Electronics Application Deadline: 17 January 2011 Law NALSAR University of Law,
International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution, 10th Floor,
Gaganvihar Building, MJ Road, Hyderabad 500027 (AP) PG Diploma in Family Dispute Resolution (Proximity Education), 6 moths Eligibility: Bachelors degree Application Form: Send Rs 250/- by DD/PO favouring "ICADR" payable Hyderabad at the above address / Download from website. Details: Website Application Deadline: 31 January 2011 Management Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amrita
School of Business, Ettimadai, Coimbatore 641105 (TN) (Deemed University) MBA (2 years, Full Time) Eligibility: Bachelors degree (50%) Selection: CAT / GRE / GMAT scores; Interview. Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: 28 February 2011 Management Development Institute
(MDI), Mehrauli Road, Gurgaon 122007 (Har) PG Diploma in Energy Mgmt, 15 months Eligibility:
Bachelors degree; 5 years work-ex in Energy Sector in central / state /
private Application Form: Send Rs 1750/- by DD favouring "Management Development Institute", payable at New Delhi at the above address / Download from website. Details: Website Application Deadline: 24 January 2011 National Institute of Technology
(NIT), Surathkal, Post Srinivasnagar, Mangalore 575025 (Kar) MBA (2
years, Full Time) Selection: CAT 2010 scores, GD & Interview. Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: 31 March 2011 Management Development Institute
(MDI), Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, Sukhrali, Gurgaon 122001 (Har) PG Programme in Management (3 years, Part Time) Eligibility:
Bachelors degree; Min 3 years of work experience (On 31 March 2011). Selection: Test: 13 February 2011 Application Form: Send Rs 1750/- by DD favouring "Management Development Institute", payable at New Delhi to MDI counter, IFCI Tower, 61, Nehru Place, New Delhi-110019 by 27 January 2011 / Download from website. Details: Website Application Deadline: 27 January 2011 Maths & Stats University of Hyderabad, D/o Maths
& Stats, PO Central University, Hyderabad 500046 (AP) Mathematics Training & Talent
Search Programme Eligibility: Level O: 1st
year undergraduate students with Maths as one of the subjects. Medicine National Institute for the
Orthopaedically Handicapped, BT Road, Bon-Hooghly, Kolkata 700090 (WB) (M/o
Social Justice & Environment, GoI) DNB Courses in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Speciality Selection: Interview: 17 January 2011 Application Form: Send application with detailed CV and relevant documents to the Director at the above address. Details: Employment News (25 31 December 2010) / Website Application Deadline: 14 January 2011 Director of Medical Education
& Research, Govt Dental College & Hospital Building, St Georges
Hospital Compound, Mumbai 400001 (Mah) Entrance Exam for MD/ MS / Diploma (PGM-CET 2011) Eligibility: MBBS; candidate has to complete one year internship training by 30 April 2011. Selection: Entrance
Test: 06 February 2011 Details:
Website Scholarships London School of Economics,
Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE LSE PhD Scholarship 2011 Eligibility: UK taught Masters degree with merit or a non-UK equivalent in a subject appropriate to research to be undertaken. Selection: Academic merit & research potential Scholarship: £14,000 pa for 3 years covering fees and living expenses. Application Form & Details: Website. Application Deadline: 10 January 2011 Sciences Bio Jawaharlal Nehru University,
School of Computational and Integrative Sciences, New Delhi (D/o Biotechnology,
GoI) Bioinformatics National
Certification Exam (BINC) Selection: Entrance Test: 26 - 27 February 2011 Application Form & Details: Employment News (25 31 December 2010) / Website Application Deadline: 03 February 2011 Sciences Social IIT - Madras, Chennai 600036 (TN) Humanities & Social Sciences
Entrance Exam 2011 (HSEE 2011) Eligibility: 10+2 (60%) DoB: on / after (01 October 1986) Selection: Entrance Test: 08 May 2011 (Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi) Application Form: Apply online till 19 January 2011 Details: Employment News (25 31 December 2010) / Website. Application Deadline: 31 January 2011 University University of Hyderabad, Centre
for Distance Education, Hyderabad 500046 (AP) Post Graduate Diploma Courses: Application Deadline: 15 January 2011 Army Welfare Education Society (AWES) Written Admission Test (WAT) for admission to: 1) BE (Mechanical / Electronics
& Telecommunication / Computer Engineering / IT; 4 years, Affl to Univ
of Pune) 2) BDS (5 years) 3) BHM (4 years) 4) MBBS (4½ years) (at Army College of Medical Sciences, Delhi Cantt, www.ipu.ac.in / www.awes.nic.in) 5) BEd (1 year) Eligibility: For 1: 10+2
(PCM; 50%), AIEEE-2011 scores, Selection, Application Forms & Other Details: Respective websites Application Deadline: 15 March 2011 Pervin Malhotra, Director, Career Guidance India (CARING) (www.careerguidanceindia.com)
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However, sometimes the same topic registered at two or more universities at the same time. Unfortunately, there is no Central Registration Agency which can provide data before registration of a particular topic whether same topic or same topic in a modified form is being pursued at some other University or not.