Thursday, 2 August 2012

contd...

The way to inculcate research skills in teachers in undergrad colleges is to tie up with good research Instts/University centres around, give the teachers 2 or 3 years leave and enable them to conduct research at these Instt.
The Instts have the infrastructure, and for 2 years the person can focus on research and can really make some good contribution. The college should ensure that he gets his salary either from UGC, DST or some such source, or pay him themselves (if possible). There should be a roster, by which they can be sent in rotation and the extra workload taken up by the others in a distributed manner or by employing a 5 or 10% excess faculty.
The UGC used to have an FIP / QIP program which did just that. In 1970s and 80s the IIX where I did my PhD, used to get lecturers from colleges coming in for 3 yrs to complete their PhD. After 3 years, they would complete any left over work by working evenings/Sundays /vacations. This ensures that UG teachers are exposed to research of fairly good quality.
Why replace a good system with a dubious one of conducting research without access to literature, lab or equipment?

2 comments:

Wilkerson said...

I agree. As far as I know, the QIP programme run by the Government is still in place. It would be a good idea to extend the programme to increase the number of teachers supported for research in the premier institutes.

L said...

Yes the FIP program is still there. but it has a very small coverage. http://www.universitycollege.co.in/docs/pdf/fipformat.pdf. The assessment team member said one must publish at least one paper per year of "whatever quality" which is what upset me.

Ceiling fan

 I read somewhere that as a solution for student suicides, IISc has decided to remove fans from hostel rooms. No fan, no suicide. This shoul...