Friday, August 2, 2013

Starting and Handling a Research Project

India is ranked at 12th position among the top 20 productive countries in the world in science and technology, as seen from world publications output data for 1997-07 by publishing 3, 22,956 papers. In which Indian share for 1997-07 was 2.11%. India has been able to publish only 100 high-cited papers in science and technology in 11 years (1997 to 2007). 

The bulk of Indian research output is being published in medium to low quality journals. For example, top 25 Indian journals together accounted for 14.18% share in the total cumulative publications output by the country during 1997-07. And top 25 foreign journals account for a smaller share, just 7.08% of the country output for 1997-07 (B.M. Gupta & S.M. Dhawan, 2008). The country seriously needs to improve quality of research output so that we are able to publish more and more in top quality journals. 

Thus anyone can seriously realize the need of some substantial work which must also be in accordance with the national need. To produce some pleasant result, some basic principals are to be followed, which for the sake of explanation can be divided as follows: 

1- Selection of Problem 
2-Introduction to Problem 
3-Protocol design 
4-Discussion and Interpretation of results 
5-Conclusion 

Selection of Problem 

The whole quality of research will ultimately depend on the problem you have selected to work. Today if you ask the students who have qualified NET/JRF that on which topic would you like to work, in the most of the cases, you would have answer, “Sir as you wish”. This simply means that they have wasted a decade while they were studying graduations. This is further adorned by our great education and examination system. In fact this is only issue at which a guide doen’t helps and one should not, otherwise, inbreeding of ideas will takes place not crossbreeding. 

To obtain a proper problem, students have to do a real brain storming and do a lot of research in search of a problem. This is what we call as research, ‘search of a particular problem’. The suitable problem regarding the career of a student can also be categorized in to two groups, i.e. classical and applied. If you wish to join the corporate sector you should think accordingly otherwise you can go for the traditional research. In this context it is also important to note that it not a compulsion that you have to continue your research in the field of your study. Due to encouragement from the system for interdisciplinary work you have a liberty to fabricate your problem in the desired field. 

But when you think you have got your problem on which you are intended to work just ask a simple question to yourself. What answer you have if a common man asks you ‘what benefit I can get from your work? If you have a satisfactory answer, you must proceed for it otherwise, you should try again. Completion of problem selection is half done in your task. after finalization of topics on which work is to done, start your work now.

Introduction to Problem: 

Status of Work 
Internet is a great tool to work out that what all have been completed and from where you have to start. This may be turning point for your work. Before, you start contacting them you have to have a conceit idea about your work and conduct some practical work as much as you can do. Keep in mind that any work without enough home work rarely culminates in a successfully. You feel free to contact the workers to whom you think suitable and beneficial. Find out the contact detail of workers with the help of google and mailed them without hesitation as much as you can do. 

Protocol Fabrication 
Fabrication of protocol is the last tough step where your proper attention will give you a wonderful result. It is not advisable to follow the exact protocol of previous worker. You should keep followings three points in mind before the fabrication of your working protocols. 

1-See what all works have been done so far? 
2-What are their findings? 
3-What you could like to do if you would be at their place? 

This is the question which will alone help you to get your own protocol. Moreover, if you have fabricated problems in practical classes it would be easier to you to work out your own protocol. This protocol if not been used so far than you can publish this protocol in ‘short communications’. 

Discussion and Conclusion 
The only thing I would like to mention here is to write appropriate discussion, just mention the facts of other workers and those of yours' point wise and sum up them. This will also have the conclusion. 

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Status of Research in India

R&D Expenditure in India 
Despite India having better scientific research institutions, R&D and innovation capabilities are lower than other BRICS countries, according to the Economic Survey. Expenditures for research and development are current and capital expenditures (both public and private) on creative work undertaken systematically to increase knowledge, including knowledge of humanity, culture, and society, and the use of knowledge for new applications. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development which is lies approximately 1% of GDP (The Hindu; Feb27,13).The economic survey further pointed out that share of basic research in India’s R&D is estimated at 26 per cent, applied research 36 per cent, development research 32 per cent and other research at 6 per cent, which is low when compared to other BRIC countries (except Russia).


India S&T infrastructure 
  1. more than 300 universities, 
  2. 400 research laboratories, 
  3. 13 institutes of national importance, 
  4. and 1300 in-house industrial R&D units, besides several other government departments, private, international and non-profitable institutions. 

India ranks 12th among the top 20 productive countries in science and technology, with its global publications share of 2.11% as computed from cumulative world publications data for 1997-2007 fig 1.



 India’s Publication Growth Rate in World Context India achieved annual average growth rate in publications output at 7.76% as seen from its publications output data for 1997-2007.  China showed growth rate of 20.96% per annum, the highest amongst top 20 countries.
Growth rate of publications output by developing world countries has also changed over time. Based on publications output data for 1997-2002 and 2003-2007, it was found that Chine improved its growth rate from 15.37% to 26.54%, India from 4.31% to 11.21%,


Publications Output from India, China, Brazil, and South Korea as appearing in High Impact Journals, (47.7-10) 1997 - 2007

Share of country’s Output in High Impact Journals in the Total Country Output 0.32 0.16 0.5 0.83
High Cited Papers from India

India published a total of 100 high-cited papers in science and technology 11 years as seen from the publications output data for 1997 to 2007. Since their publication in between 1997 and 2007, these select papers received between 221 and 2995 citations per paper. These were much higher the citations their counterparts received during the same period. Of these 100 papers, 82 were articles, 16 review papers, 1 each note and short survey. All these 100 high cited papers were collaborative papers. Indian institutions were the lead authors in 42 papers and foreign institutions were the lead authors in 58 papers. In overall, Indian participation in these 100 papers was confined to 55 institutions, which included 9 institutes of national importance, 21 research institutes, 19 from universities & colleges, 2 international institutes, 3 hospitals,  and 1 was from industry.
The condition of patents filled is also not very enthusiastic as in 2012 total patents filled in Indian Offices were 814 in which sanctioned were only 52. The same trend was observed in the numbers of patent applications filed by Indians in World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). India stands at 14th rank by filing 15,717 patents but stand comes down while the grant of patents is concerned and that is 17th by receiving grant over 5168 patents in year 2012. 
Even after this appraisal on research status, there are few important questions which couldn't address in this article. Whether the research in the country is really following the requirement of the country? Is the IF alone able to justify the work going in India? What is the mandate and priorities for research in India? Moreover what is total output from the research to the country? A recent finding of the study on India's research output and collaboration conducted by Reuter states that the country had just 3.5% of global research output in 2010. The report which was recently submitted to the department of science and technology has discipline wise data on India’s terribly low research output.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Before Joining your Ph.D. Program

PhD, a degree which consider at par worldwide and moreover, it is dream of every scholar to add the word “Dr” before their name. So what exactly influence a scholar to go for this program? Beside so many humours said against it, is it change in name? Or it is pleasure to add something in existing one? Whatever, the reason behind it may be but I would like to suggest later option to the scholars which is really worthy to go for this.

However, here I will specifically concentrate myself towards what essential points should taken under consideration before joining this program? Or how this program can be completed in best way and how should we proceed?

1-There are few questions to be answered before going for PhD program
  1. Why do you want to go for PhD?
  2. For growth in your career
  3. To add something in existing scenario
  4. To add “Dr” before your name?
  5. Since I am doing nothing so Lets’ do PhD
Option 1a is the safest way to go for this program while option 1b is best way to go for this program. Here, this article is devoted to convert the options 1d and 1c to the option 1b.

2.     Preliminary work before starting: Choosing a right field or problem

Workout the broad field of interest in which you are intended to work or the problem on which you are interested to solve. Of course every field and discipline is of great importance because of which that is thriving till now. There is really difficult to make any prioritization in this regard, but even here, we are exclusively concerned with field where the result of research can be directly translated in terms of its applicability to society. Please keep in mind that the work which is not useful for society cannot pay you much as far as your career growth is concern.

Thus, selecting a particular field or problem shall be the foundation for your future research work and it will decide the fate of your research work. Accordingly, you are required to pay proper attention on this issue. It is best to think yourself as an investor who is going to start a setup in your field. So would you be a person who can invest in your desired setup?

3-Secondarily, asses the national and international scenario of research in your selected field

It important to understand that you have to handle very barren area to start your project and for this purpose, it is important to assess the problems on research is already been going on. This will also help you to fix your position in the areas where the research is going on. How you can contribute your efforts to add value in the current scenario? One of the most important aspect to work out your field of research is to assess the developmental need of corporate houses and if you are able to direct your research in this direction it would be of very much help in securing a suitable job according to your profile with a higher start.

4.     How to start PhD?

a.     Financial Security

This is one of the most important obstacle in starting a PhD program as in India students incurred their financial aspect form parent and it doesn’t seems genuine to ask money from parent. Thus the second most important aspect is to secure a suitable financial supporter.

So, after finalizing your area of interest and problem in which you are interested to work, the next step is to work out which are the agencies that provides financial assistance to promote research in your selected area. There is sufficient number of national as well as international agencies which provides financial support in various fields and this number is directly proportional to applicability of your research result in up gradation of society. Besides NGOs and Govt organizations, corporate houses are also interested to conduct research in their prospective areas. This is especially worthy for management fellows.

Given below there are certain links which may be of some help in securing a fellowship for your Ph.D program.

b.     Workout the Possibilities of Collaboration
While you are searching the national and international scenario of research in your concern field, you should also search a slot where you shall be able to fit your efforts. This you can further enhance by the enhancing the possibilities to collaborate with those workers which are already doing research in your field of interest. For this purpose you have to prepare yourself by studying the field in depth and completion of your foundation research which you can do without much requirement of infrastructure and money.

c.     Try to go for Interdisciplinary Work:
There are not much option remaining for tradition and classical work and as the development proceeds, there will be a need for interdisciplinary work. Without hesitation go for such interdisciplinary work and try to work under more than one guide. This will not only increase the chances of employability but also enhance the quality of work. Of course, it will be comparatively difficult but worthy to take pain.

Please keep in mind it is neither your guide nor your university which will pay as much as shall be paid by the quality of your work

Friday, July 19, 2013

कैरियर निर्धारण कैसे करें?

ये कैसे पता करें कि हमारे लिए कौन सा क्षेत्र सर्वोत्तम रहेगा ?

Before Reading this watch this .*ppt : 

हर व्यक्ति कुछ खास गुणों  व हुनर के साथ होता है और जो व्यक्ति इनके अनुरूप ही समाज को अपनी सेवाएँ देता है, वही जीवन मे सफल होता है।

जरा सोचिये ….!!!

एक महीने की छुट्टी बिताने के लिए व्यक्ति प्रायः एक से दो हफ्ते तक का समय लेता है, लेकिन अपना जीवन, अपना करियर, सफल बनाने का निर्णय मात्र एक से दो घंन्टे मे ले लेता है। अगर आप को यह सही लग रहा है तो आगे  पढने की कोई आवष्यकता नहीं है।

लेकिन अगर सही नहीं लग रहा है, तो हर छात्र के लिये ये जानना बहुत जरूरी है, कि उसे किस क्षेत्र मे नौकरी की तलाष करनी चाहिये और उसी मे वह सफल हो सकता है। हर व्यक्ति, हर क्षेत्र मे सफल नहीं हो सकता है। अब प्रश्न  यह है कि करियर निर्धारण कैसे करें? वस्तुतः इसके निम्नलिखित  चरण होते है।

स्वयं को पहचाने अपनी प्रकियाः आप अपने हुनर और अपने गुणों को पहचाने जिसके लिये आपको एक सही करियर काउन्सॅलर की जरूरत पडती है़.

मूलतः कुछ प्रश्न  ऐसे होते है जिनके उतर आपको खुद ढूढने पडते है, जैसे आपके लिये मूल्य क्या है? किन चीजों को आप सबसे ज्यादा प्राथमिकता देते है,आपके अन्दर किस तरह के विकल्प है। सामान्य से हटकर आपके अन्दर क्या है? और भी बहुत सारी चीजे है। जो आपको स्वंय मे तलाषनी है। कम से कम सिर्फ अपने साथ एक पूरा 24 घंन्टे बिताये बहुत सारी चीजे आपको खुद ही समझ मे आ जायेगी ।

बाजार मै उपलब्ध विकल्पों की जानकारी ।

कोई भी निर्णय लेने से पहले यह अत्यन्त आवष्यक है कि आप बाजार मै उपल्ब्ध  सभी विकल्पो के बारे में कम से कम जान तो लें। सामान्यतः बच्चों को 12वीं के बाद मुष्किल से 20-30 विभिन्न क्षेत्र मालूम है, जहाँ  वह इॅण्टर पास करनें के बाद जा सकते हैं। जबकि वास्तव मै यह संख्या 628 है। बिना पूरी जानकारी के लिए। हुआ निर्णय प्रायः गलत ही होता है।

तीसरे चरण मे हमे उन विकल्पों का चयन करना है जिसमें हमारी रूचि हो या हमे काम करना अच्छा लगे। इसका मतलब यह है कि आप जब उस काम को कर रहें हों तो आप को कुछ भी और करना पसन्द न हो। इस तरह से अपके पास सारे विकल्पों मे से मात्र कुल 10 से 15 विकल्प बचेगे है, अब इन 10 से 15 क्षेत्रो के नियुक्तिकर्ताओं की क्या आवष्यकताये है, और आप इन आवष्यकतावों को आप कैसे पूरा करते है? इन विषयों पर एक अघ्ययन आवष्यक है। इस अघ्ययन के बाद आपके पास तीन से चार विकल्प बचेंगे, जिसमे कि आप काम करना चाहेगें। अब जो विकल्प बचे है। उन क्षेत्रों मे जो लोग पहले से ही काम कर रहे है, के साथ एक साक्षात्कार आवष्यक है जिसमे कुछ प्रष्नों के उत्तर आपको ढूढने है। आपको इस नौकरी को पाने मे सफलता कैसे मिली ? आप को इस क्षेत्र मे जाॅब कर के कैसा लग रहा है? इस जाॅब मै आपको सबसे अच्छा और सबसे बुरा क्या लगता है? इन साक्षातकार के बाद आपके पास सिर्फ एक विकल्प बचेगा जिसमे आप वास्तव मे जाना चाहते है, ध्यान रहे कुछ चीजे सबकों आकृष्ट करती है, उससे भ्रमित न हो उदाहरण के तौर पर फिल्मों मे हीरो का किरदार।

अतः आपके पास कुल मिलाकर एक विकल्प बचेगा जो कि आपका संकल्प होगा।

इॅण्टर पास हो गये, अब आगे क्या करें?

इस समय CBSE, UP Intermediate Board  सभी के इण्टरमीडीएट के परीक्षा परिणाम प्राप्त हो चुकें है। अब बहुत सारे छात्रों के मन मे ख्याल उठ रहा है कि अब आगे क्या करे? और कैसे  करें?

समान्यतः बच्चे अपने अभिभावक, अपने मित्र या अपने बडे भाई बहन से अपने करियर संबन्धित राय लेते है। क्योकि इनमे से कोई भी मार्ग दर्षन करने मे सक्षम हो ही, यह आवष्यक नहीं है, परिणामतः उनका करियर भगवान भरोसे हो जाता है। वास्तव मे इण्टर पास करने के बाद ही बच्चों को एक सही करियर कौंसलर  की जरूरत होती है जो कि उन्हे यह बता सके, कि वो अपना करियर किस दिषा मे और किस क्षेत्र मे बनाये।

वस्तुतः करियर काउसलिग को लेकर बहुत सारी भ्रान्तिया है।

उदाहरण के तौर पर इण्टर पास करने के बाद बच्चों की जानकारी मे 10 या 15 क्षेत्र होते है जिसमे की नौकरी की लिये जाते है। जबकि भारत मे ही 628 विभिन्न क्षेत्र है जिसमे कि वे नौकरी के लिये जा सकते है। वास्तव मे नकल करने की प्रवति इतनी हावी हो चुकी है कि बच्चे अपने कोर्स या विषय का चुनाव भी अपने मित्रों के हिसाब से कर लेते है। जबकि सच्चाई यह है कि हर व्यक्ति इस दुनिया मे एक विशेष प्रतिभा के साथ आता है और अगर उसी क्षेत्र मे काम करे तो उसे उतनी सफलता मिल सकती है जितना उसका योगदान होगा, मित्रों के साथ मिलकर कोई विशय या कोर्स का चुनाव अलग-अलग दक्षता वाले बच्चों को एक ही क्षेत्र मे सफल कैसे बना सकता है। ऐसे समय मे बच्चो को आवष्यकता होती है एक सही करियर काउॅसलर की जो की उन्हे अपना करियर, किस क्षेत्र मे बनाना चाहिये और उसमे सफलता पूर्वक करियर कैसे बना सकता है, ये बताये, करियर काउॅसलर बच्चों का एडमीषन नहीं कराता बल्कि वह सही मार्ग दर्शन  करता है। 

A decade in Academia

Since, 1999, I am working in business of academics, importunately or opportunistically I served in private institutions only. In India, the first choice of a PhD scholar is getting recruited in any Govt University, followed by UG/PG colleges. When I was about to submit my PhD thesis I was very much happ


y that within year or two, I will also be able to join some suitable post (of course in Govt Institutions). And I use to say “I will also give an opportunity to Govt of India to appoint me” I will not be among those who left the country for the Money’.  This I was saying on the bases of my two important grounds first was my performance in research and second one was my interest in teaching. One evidence can be produced against former i.e. I established the Aetiology and Definition of Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome, awaited since last 3 decades world-wide and later one is my passion as I love spent time with my students. But, even today, despite of providing many such opportunities by Govt of India, I fail to explain my candidature as a faculty. This is the background story why I was in Private sector only.
There is great need to reappraise the existing education system of the country. This can be simply advocated merely on the bases of the fact that existing education fail to fulfil its goal. In India, a huge number of differences can be listed between private and Government sectors academics. Few of them seriously deserve to be mentioned.
1-        Financial Insecurity
To explain this I would like to ask a question, for how many hours you appoint a faculty. Of course your answer will around the clock. I am also from the same school. So, when will a faculty have time to think about their liabilities and other responsibilities? Thus a faculty should be privileged to assure all such problems (as a person fully indulged in education all these things seem like a problem). Now all such benefits (if not fully than most of them) are provided in Govt institutions but still a question arises, is the education imparted by these organizations is flawless?  Is it able to give the desired result? And if not, how the statement given above is correct? I will answer this question in later part of this blog.
Now, let’s see the condition of private institutions. I am not saying that private institutions are not giving handsome salary, they are but this ultimately depends upon bargainers’ efficiency. One IIMCian told me “if a shopkeeper is selling you a toothbrush in Rs 10, you will say  no, no, it deserves to be  for Rs 15 or so?” likewise if you will not cry for your salary you will not going get anymore increment. Now, my question is, should a faculty also learn the art of bargain? Thus to conclude this paragraph, I would like to quote a question my director asked me once  “If you ought to be a director what reform would you like to bring to upgrade the faculties’ performance? And my answer was a Faculty is faculty by birth and cannot be transformed virtually in to a faculty.  I will say selection procedure must be up to the mark whether it is in Govt or Private Sectors.
2-       Un-Stabilized Environment
Countless arguments’ can be given in favourer and against on the stability of the environment of education system.  So I am not in favour of  discussing all these issues now. In my opinion too, those who are unable to do justice to their chair, have no right to be there. Since, there is no expulsion kind of phenomenon perpetuate in Govt Institutions, so it irrelevant to discuss with reference to it. Contrary to this, expulsion should also be discussed in these Institutions. As it is much frequent occurrence in Private organizations. My argument is that’ what should be criteria of expulsion of faculty, whether the private organizations have any proper evaluation system for selection or expulsion of faculty? My experience in this regards is not very pleasant. In most of the cases satisfaction of management is the prime criteria to sustain in any private organization.  Thus your working in private organization must be in accordance with the interest of management. Now as a faculty you have to  assure the interest of management prior than securing the interest of students.
3-       Students are Valued Costumers
How can a doctor be able to treat a patient without giving any pain, how can a patient be happy in taking that pain? If this is not the case, than how will a teacher be able to teach the student without giving any pain? Of course this may be true for the certain (very small fractions of percentage) but for a class how it is possible? Moreover, when these major percentages of student have to elect/ evaluate the teacher, one can easily expect the consequences of the same.

Here, I would like refer one incidence, when I was HOD and asked the PG student of life science to do their 6 months project in such a way so that it would be worth to getting published in some journals or an industry would be interested to take them up, depending upon the interest of job they have submitted to me. Thus they were expected to work hard and start surfing for literature immediately and after that they had to put it into a project kind of thing on which they will have work in coming time. I received communication from most of the students that they are not able to understand exactly what they have to do? But when I tried to explain the things and solved their problems, they went to management and ultimately management asked me stop it. Till date I failed to understand what was my fault? Why students were ignored their welfare? Why I failed to explain them?
4-       Blindly and Incompletely following the Western Education Pattern and Negligence towards Our Most Prestigious Education System
Some facts to consider
India has 421 Universities and 20,918 Colleges
GRE in India – 11.3%, average of 25% in developed countries.
Total enrolment in Higher Education is 1.86 crore
Expected to reach 2.2 crore by 2012 if India achieves 15 % GER
NKC – Creation of 1,500 colleges & Univ.  to reach 15% GER by 2015
Growth of Higher education needed as per five year plan – 37%
Growth of Higher education increase/year – 11%*
Demand for Higher education increase/year – 20%*
Human resource demand is increasing/year – 18%*
Shortfall in no. of seats required and available  – 45 %*
    Thus there is a Gap between the Aspiration and the Availability
    Urgent need to meet the rising demand for higher education hence India surely needs more Higher Edu. Institutions
*Source: Derived from Planning commission Documents & MHRD Educational Statistics
Current status of our higher education 
Expansion in Higher education Institutional Capacity Since the early 1950’s   higher education has been diversified and extended its reach and coverage quite significantly. At the time of independence, 1947, the size of higher education system in terms of number of educational institutions, and teachers was meagre but since that time there has been an exponential increase in three indicators of higher education, namely the number of educational institutions, teachers and students. The number of universities has increased from 20 in 1947 to about 357 in 2005 indicating a thirteen-fold increase.  There are now 20 Central Universities, 217 State Universities, 106 Deemed to be Universities, and 13 Institutes of National Importance established through Central legislation and .5 Institutions established through State legislation, the number of colleges increased   from 500 in 1947 to 17,625 in 2005, indicating twenty-six-fold increase.
In the spheres of technical education by 2004 we had about 1265 engineering and technology collages, 320 pharmacies, 107 Architecture, 40 hotel management, making a total about 1749 institutions.  In respect of post graduate educational institutions there are 958 MBA/PGDM and 1034 MCA in 2004.
Similarly the number of teachers has increased from 700 in 1950 to 4.72 Lakhs in 2005. Thus there has been several fold increase in the educational institutions and number of teachers. With this progress in the educational infrastructure in terms of institutions and faculty, we except improvement in the level of higher education in terms of aggregate access, access to disadvantage groups   and the quality of higher education. Here it noteworthy to mention that the graph of increase in population is not given. Let us discuss the progress with respect to these indicators of higher education development.
“Our university system is, in many parts, in a state of disrepair…In almost half the districts in the country, higher education enrolments are abysmally low, almost two-third of our universities and 90 per cent of our colleges are rated as below average on quality parameters… I am concerned that in many states university appointments, including that of vice-chancellors, have been politicised and have become subject to caste and communal considerations, there are complaints of favouritism and corruption.”
— Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2007[40]
Everyone who understands this blog is having good information about traditional education system of India which is established many horizons to the current world education. Even if anyone criticise the disadvantage of traditional education system, though it was not a wise step to put it into the dustbin. If every coin has both faces then it was only traditional education system which was quite unfit up to that extent so it had not been even touched? There were must be some relevant point, which could be applied to design a perfect setup for education system which certain have a better result than what we have today.
A foreign building on Indian Soil

The present system of education was introduced and founded by the British in the 20th century, by the recommendations of Macaulay. It has western style and content. The British government did not recognize the traditional structures and so they have declined. It is said that even Gandhi described the traditional educational system as a beautiful tree which was destroyed during the British rule.