Anna University imposes penalties to curb irregularities in research

CHENNAI: With reports of irregularities in the research activities, Anna University has implemented new rules to impose penalties for non-compliance of research conduct rules. The institution has identified ten types of misconduct, which carries penalties including debarring the supervisor for a period of five years.

A senior professor from the university said that in a meeting held recently, it was decided that strict adherence to research conduct rules was essential to uphold the academic integrity and reputation of the university.

“Scholars, supervisors and HoDs have to strictly follow all the rules, and if they were found non-compliant with research conduct rules, it will result in penalties commensurate with the severity of the violation, which has been laid,” he added.

There are 10 types of misconduct including concealing the original affiliation details by research supervisors, forging documents submitted to the centre for research, deriving financial benefits from scholars for the sake of conducting meetings and viva-voce examinations and ghost writing. “Some of the others include plagiarism, data manipulation, non-compliance with ethical standard, full-time scholars working in organisations, industries without prior information to centre for research and not availing break of study or change of category, completing course works through special electives or not taking course works, harassment in any form (verbal and sexual) and non-submission of progress report and non-payment of fees.”

The professor stated that the supervisor should be debarred for five years based on the magnitude of the forgery of documents. “Registration of the scholar will be cancelled if proven guilty in ghost-writing. Registration will be cancelled if the magnitude of the offence is over 60% for plagiarism and data manipulation,” he pointed out. “Legal action will be initiated against the supervisor if proven guilty by the probe committee constituted by the university when the supervisor derives any financial benefits from the scholar.”