QUALITY CONTROL IN RESEARCH
Introduction
Research from the conceptual point of view is rational thinking applied systematically to problems which are basic (fundamental), or applied, or developmental in nature; and accordingly, it is classified as Basic research, Applied research, and Developmental research. Irrespective of this classification, it cannot be gainsaid that basic research lends to applied research as much as it borrows from it; and thus Basic research and Applied research are mutually related. Similarly, all the three categories of research are interrelated. Research is a system with three major sub-system, of which each one acts upon others eliciting a feedback, all leading to the restructuring of the system. Therefore, in all matters, be it planning, execution, or evaluation, research should be considered in its totality and not in piecemeal.
Status of Research in University
Notwithstanding certain major research contributions of universities and of well-organised scholars in various disciplines, for the last one and half decades, research in Indian universities has been a subject of criticism in educational circles. Research in Indian universities concentrate on basic problems; and rarely it is problem-oriented or development-oriented to meet the needs and of the technological society and human aspirations. In other words, research in Indian universities has only remote relationship with the needs and aspirations in society. In addition, it is often felt that the quality of research does not meet the required standards. A cursory look at the science subjects especially in the field of physics suggests that India’s performance in the field of physics has been poor. Even in the field of theoretical physics, it has been far from satisfactory. The experimental work has been of mediocre character. In the field of technique, it is very near zero. Although the remark is a little harsh, it carries an element of truth. However much water has flown into the bridge now-a-days.
Need for Quality control
The status of research in Indian universities as briefed above, warrant continuous efforts for maintaining high quality in research, for which a quality control mechanism of high order should be effectively built into the system. The need for quality control mechanism can be viewed from another angle.
In recent years, expenditure in research is increasingly regarded as an investment; and hence, whenever allocations are made, economics of investment is given serious consideration. In research the major inputs are the scholar, the capital, the infrastructure and the management; and these are made to act upon the problem, which result in the discovery of the solution. Borrowing from industry, the input should be adequate and appropriate in quality, and in extent, it should correspond to the investment in inputs; and finally the process of research should satisfy the requirements of national norms and standards. Industry applies high precision quality control mechanism to every component of the input, output and the process of production, and evaluate each aspect of these in relation to certain reference points. Similarly, input, output, and process of research should be subjected to the high precision quality control mechanism in relation to the reference points of national goals and aspirations, norms and standards.
Status of Quality control Mechanism
In the prevailing system, the quality control mechanism in all aspects of research, inputs, output and the process. Scholars are the major input. Universities select scholars on the criterion of the record of achievement in the post-graduate examination. In this procedure, many a time the individual with little aptitude for research and narrow perspectives get the selection; and those with research talent but unfortunate to secure high marks in the post-graduate examinations are wedded out. The selection on the basis of National Tests, introduced by the University Grants Commission, has minimized this problem to some extent. However, it has another limitation. The National test to a large extent does not correspond to the syllabi of universities spread all over India. However, this problem may be solved provided universities evolve a consensus for restructuring their syllabi for post-graduate education on the criteria of excellence in both disciplines and research.
The quality of research is evaluated by examiners , mainly external examiners; and the reports approved by a majority of examiners are accepted for the award of degrees. Examiners evaluate the report on the face value; and by and large they do not use, and perhaps are not expected to use, the criteria such as the relevancy of the research to the societal needs, updateness of the method, and the utility of the conclusions. As a result, even a report that can adorn only the shelves of academic disciplines is accepted for the award of degree. Selection of problem, preparation of its original, identification of objectives, topples and techniques of research, development of quality instruments ,development of quality instruments, collection of data from a scientific sample of subjects or experiments , interpretation of data using documentary or normative or experimental evidence, drawing meaningful conclusions. Preparation of the report according to international norms, all these contribute to the process of research. Usually guides discuss these aspects with the scholars and scrutinize their performance wherever occasions demand. Irrespective of these, many a time, it so happens that a senior personnel because of teaching and other academic commitments along with administrative duties, and also a junior with the minimal competency and experience hardly satisfy a scholar in various aspects of research. As a result, researchers select problems of little practical or developmental approach, employ tools and techniques which are either the replica of those used by others, or are inadequate or inappropriate to meet the standards of technologically oriented society, and make superficial analysis and wild generations. While evaluating Indian research Ram Joshi stated that ” much of current Indian research, whether in the social natural sciences or in the technogies, is highly wasteful in that it is a second rate and sometimes a third rate imitation of discoveries already made elsewhere in the world, or a blind application of theories and models developed elsewhere in wholly different contexts”. Perhaps three reasons may account for the low profile of Indian research. The first in Indian universities research is an activity which has high career value. It qualifies one for promotion prospects as well as professional status. Ph.D forms the basic requirement for appointment in a university; and further, the greater the number of Ph.ds that one produces the higher is one’s professional status. Therefore, many a time both the supervisors and scholars attend to research work in a hurry, in all its processes commencing from the selection of the problem and preparation of its proposal to the production of research report as well as required foreign exchange Secondly, tools and instruments required for research work are not freely available; and many a time, adequate finance as well as required foreign exchange stand as an obstacle to procure or to fabricate the required materials. Finally, the management of research in matters of the selection of scholars, award of research scholarships, organization of guidance and supervision, all these are vitiated by red tapism, if not feudalism which in turn contribute to low quality. In order to produce quality research, universities should rectify the deficiencies for which a quality control mechanism should be built into the universities system. In this regard, a few suggestions may be considered.
Suggestions
The quality of research mainly depends on the quality of researchers. In order to procure qualified researchers, in the process of selection, universities should give adequate importance to both the achievement and the aptitude for research of the applicants. Research is a highly technical job, and it should not be handled by personnel the second-rate; because they are likely to produce unproductive work as well as adversely affect the quality of the work of others. Tools and instruments of standard quality maintain the quality of research; and hence Department of universities should make these materials available to researchers; and further, items which are outdated and outmoded should be replaced with the latest ones in the field. The importance of a good library with latest books and periodicals need little emphasis. Universities should make both Indian books and foreign books and periodicals available in the library.
Universities should avoid indiscriminate distribution of scholars to the available guides; and instead, distribution should be made on consideration of their work load, potentiality and specialization.
The community needs the solution to its immediate problems in return to the money that it spends on research. Therefore, universities should encourage problems of practical importance; and of course, each Department may contain a balance among the Basic, Applied and Departmental research. Instead of giving the entire responsibility of selection of problems to the guide or to the concerned Head of the Department, universities should assign the task to a Commitee of Experts, which may include specialists in the area belonging to research institutes, national laboratories, research organizations, and governments. The Committee should scrutinize the problems from the point of view of the regional and national needs as well as establish a balance among problems of Basic research, Applied research and Development research.
Research is wedded to teaching; and each benefits from the other. Therefore, universities should give opportunities to scholars to discuss various aspects of this problem with specialists and other groups interested in them. This would give not only intellectual stimulus but also help to germinate new ideas. Further, Scholars would derive conviction in their research and confidence in their ability.
Each university should establish intra-university and inter-university links. In fact, a problem-oriented research requires the involvement specialists in various disciplines. A problem like “The Development of Slum-Problems and Prospects” requires the involvement of a team of specialists in the Departments of Economics, Education, Sociology and Statistics. Similarly, in the case of certain problems, involvement of specialists from a number of universities with expertise and adequate facilities may be necessary. In the case of a multi-disciplinary research, universities should establish liaison with industries, institute like the Institute of Science (Bangalore) as well as autonomous institutions such as ICAR, ICNR, ICSIR, and ICSSR. Universities should maintain a dialogue with the Department of Fishery and the Department of Forestry that also maintain research units of their own. This kind of collaboration goes a long way in the solution of problems of practical importance, mutual sharing of expertise and materials, and even finance, and maintaining a high quality of guidance and supervision in research.
Quality of research is determined by the management of research in which decision-making forms a major component. Universities take major decisions in respect of the selection of problems, organization of supervision, deployment of funds etc.; and in this matter instead of a single person or a committee making the decision, the task can be entrusted with an independent statutory council which may be designated as the Research Council. This Council may be headed by a Dean of Research with members representing the interests of various disciplines, institutes and organizations; and when decisions concerning students are taken, it may co-opt a few of the latter. This Council should control all research activities. It should prepare an institutional plan for all research activities of the university for a prospective period of ten to fifteen years.