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Published online 5 March 2008 | Nature 452, 15 (2008) | doi:10.1038/452015d
News in Brief
India to propose regulatory body to curb misconduct
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One more committee, some more meetings, conferences, lunches and dinners at tax payers’ money. Indian science hardly has any accountability these days. No wonder the quality of science education and research in India is going down despite of increasing funding in recent past (according to many published reports). The disease lies deep in the society and the level of ability and honesty among scientific community in India (just like politicians and bureaucrats).
I am quite hopeful about the coming generations who will overcome this 'disease' of plagiarism and misconduct within scientific community. The recent examples are thriving everyone at Indian end to look deep inside the research community and not (let not) repeat such things in future. I am sure the coming generations will realize the sensitivity of these issues and will prompt everyone around to work honestly.
I is shocking. Plagiarism is a widespread phenomenon and Indian scientists are no exception. Some do it to seek promotions in the institutions other do it to see their name in the galaxy of scientists involved in some frontline research activity. The problem of plagiarism and cooking results can not be checked by any corporal punishment. It is the integrity and the honesty of the scientific community that can check this deep malaise.
Not difficult to believe but difficult to accept, Indian Science is not an exception to the curse of Plagiarism. Strong measures are desired not only to punish the guilty but also set standards for the generation next to overcome plagiarism and misconduct in science.
VJ Gupta met his nemesis in Prof Talent, but lessons haven't been learnt. Its a sick mind that tries to survive on someone else's intellectual effort. It all boils down to plain greed and deviousness. One would expect teachers to be morally at a higher level, but as anyone who has been a student or teacher will very well know, academicians have their quota of crooks amongst them.
Experience shows that plagiarism and fraud virus in Indian science flourishes by means of complementary authorship to the sciento-crats (scientist bureaucrats) – a practice that some overambitious researchers pursue to seek immunity and administrative support to the inflated scientific claims to secure quick publications to half backed findings. Although, the academies and science organizations in India claim to have made regulations to curb unethical scientific practices – but they find themselves helpless when it involves top brass – even specific complaints are shown the dust bin. Let us hope that the proposed regulatory body could control the malice from the top. U.C. Lavania, Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow
What he (Indian scientist) will do? You know the Indian scientist after his Ph.D in vital subjects like computer science, bio-tech, electronics do not even reach to a professor's scale even with 25 years of experience. The system should change. All doctorates with 20+ years of service in several research organisations (DST,ICMR,CSIR,DRDO,DOEn etc)should be promoted to atleast to a professor's scale. We will see further degradation of Indian Science because the cream people are leaving because of low, very low packages. Assessment System in these organisations should be abolised and the link of publications to promotions should be removed. I believe the Indian Scientist is low paid employee. An administrator reaches much higher grade in 20+ years compared to a Scientist. These committees will deliberate many resolutions. At what cost? and for What?
The idea to have a national body to investigate unethical and corrupt practices in science research sounds impressive. Who would be manning such a body? Obviously those who are occupying high positions. Are they themselves honest and committed to fighting corruption? Not necessarily! If high positions were truly occupied by persons of integrity, corruption in the Indian society would have been almost absent. But we know India is one of the most corrupt countries. It looks amusing when people talk of cleaning the institution of scientific research, when rampant corruption continues to flourish in all other departments of activity. Is it possible to insulate scientific activity from the influence of the evils present in the society?
Indian scientists are not coming from another planet. They are the products of the same Indian society which is corrupt to its core. Indian education system may be able to produce tuition and coaching enabled work force to supply scientific/technical manpower-starved western countries, but it miserably failed to groom and promote people with innovative mind, people who ask questions. As a result we produce mainly technicians, not scientists or technocrats in real sense. Quality and integrity of Indian science was much better when there was only 20 universities and 500 colleges in Indian subcontinent (i.e. including Bangladesh and Pakistan) when the British left (1947). Now there are 376 universities and 17,700 colleges in India only with many new institutes with fancy and world class physical infrastructure but hardly any world class scientist like Satyen Bose or CV Raman. Currently Indian science is dominated by mediocre and below mediocre people with proper connections, high greed and ambition without having required scientific/technical capability. It’s like committing suicide to oppose such highly powerful “scientists� by any adventurous and honest person, still there in Indian science. I have no doubt that such “regulatory body� will eventually be grabbed by these “sciento-crates� (thanks to Dr. U. C Lavania for the term) and the show will go on as usual.
Currently Indian science is dominated by mediocre and below mediocre people with proper connections, high greed and ambition without having required scientific/technical capability. It’s like committing suicide to oppose such highly powerful so-called scientists by any adventurous and honest person, still there in Indian science. I have no doubt that such regulatory body will eventually be grabbed by these sciento-crates (thanks to Dr. U. C Lavania for the term) and the show will go on as usual.
Some years ago, a colleague of mine came to me fuming about a manuscript that originated from a very high profile institute in India. Following a demand for thorough revision by this peer reviewer, the researchers had done exactly that. However, not by doing extra work, but by changing the names of the cell lines and re-labeling the old datasets. It was a jaw-dropping experience for me to compare their original and 'revised' manuscript. Although I don't know what was the fate of this manuscript, one can easily guess. Apparently, this is not an isolated event. Not surprisingly, Indian scientific research in bio-medical field is a laughable matter in the Western world. An extremely small group of researchers with their reputation intact in the West have any impact worth noticing. How to tackle this problem? The students are NEVER asked to do experiments in schools or colleges; they are told to reproduce results that are expected. Then again, the root cause is not to challenge the authority of the lame teachers/professors who have such fragile ego that I don't even want to go into that discussion.
It is a pity to read so many critical comments. Fortunately all the scientists whom I know personally in India are very nice persons and very good scientists. One or two naughty fellows is not a case for such generalizations.
Most scientists are honest, while some will commit scientific fraud by deliveratly deceiving colleagues and or the public with a false claim.Stealing data or ideas, then fabricating to the choice and publishing in a journal has become a habit among those who want short term gains.Basically science is search for truth and scientific endeavours that lead to half truths and fallacies are worse than doing no science.In certain recent cases of misconduct in science raise certain issues of ethics of practising science which often lead to conflict of interest among different scientific workers. In the recent past such controversies are on the rise reflecting a deterioration of ethical, moral and social values in every sphere of life and scientific community is no exception.Although we have opened hundreds of research institutions with 'Big Empire' but in most of the places a healthy scientific environment is totally lacking.This environment should be free from prejudices, bureaucratic formalism,dishonesty,drum beating,propadanda of unsubstantiated research claims,suppression of dissent,sycophancy,showmanship and so on. It is very important to promote by personal and collective efforts the ethics and norms of true science not only for progression of S&T in the country but also for building its national character. P.K.Nagar, Varanasi, India
Leave alone plagiarizing or falsifying data, Indian scientists and doctors are now closely involved in crimes. Since last few decades urban India has seen an unprecedented rise in cesarean delivery of pregnant women. There is hardly any normal delivery in urban India these days. This menace is fast spreading in rural India. Doctors are increasingly being influenced and bribed by drug and other companies involved in medical practice (drug or equipment or technology/kit business establishments). Illegal and selective girl child abortion by majority of private clinics and nursing homes are no more news items. Substandard blood donation camps (a good source of earning for unemployed youths) and highly profitable illegal business involving that blood is no more restricted to private clinics or nursing homes but has spread its tentacles in govt hospitals. No wonder infected blood, such unhealthy blood donation camps and business involving such tainted blood are a big source for AIDS infection and its spread in India. India is now among the major hubs of illegal human organ trade on a global scale. Undertaking dubious clinical trials (mainly, but not exclusively, using semi-literate and oppressed section of our society as guinea pigs) of drugs developed by multinational drug companies is a highly flourishing business involving many high profile Indian private companies, nursing homes and hospitals. Agricultural science/research is no exception either. You do not have to be an investigative journalist to know these facts. Like many other crimes and poor governance, people have accepted such acts as parts of their lives. The list of unethical or illegal activities by “scientists� is endless in a country like India. Many highly “reputed� and famous (in India mainly) “scientists� are now part of big business houses involved in such business. Doctors and so-called scientists are increasingly entering the domain of crime using their noble profession and lack of effective consumer protection as a shield. And others so-called “honest� scientists and doctors are just silent spectators. This lot does not have the courage to oppose their corrupt colleagues, as Indian system never takes care of whistle blowers of any kind. In this backdrop, it does not take much time and analysis to understand what will be the fate of this proposed “regulatory body� to curb scientific misconducts.
The list of unethical or illegal activities by scientists is endless in a country like India. Many highly so-called reputed and famous scientists (mainly in India) are now part of big business houses involved in such dubious and/or illegal businesses. Doctors and so-called scientists are increasingly entering the domain of crime using their noble profession and lack of effective consumer protection as a shield. And others, the so-called honest scientists and doctors are just silent spectators. This lot does not have the courage to oppose their corrupt colleagues, as Indian system never takes care of whistle blowers of any kind. As a result most, if not all, the honest scientists become aloof from broader society and policy making during later part of their lives. Highly vocal and corrupt people and their cronies rule Indian science education and research. In this backdrop, it does not take much time and analysis to understand what will be the fate of this proposed regulatory body allegedly to curb scientific misconducts.
Psychological pressure of publishing more papers, getting more citations to suck more money from the Indian government is forcing Indian scientists to conduct fraud of various form at various levels. Suddenly Indian government has become too liberal in funding scientic projects without having experts committees to evaluate these and many scientists are exploiting it for their advantages. The "corporate style" of doing research in India may not help to reach anywhere apart from transferring the money from the pockets of taxpayers to few practicing scientists.