Plagiarism

Sir, - As the victim of plagiarism of my scientific work inflicted on me in India, I read with much interest the article, ``Plagiarising research data'', by Mr. Y. P. Gupta (TheHindu, Jan. 23).

Although I had six years of college education in India, I got exposed to the word `plagiarism' for the first time only as a graduate student in the U.S. In almost all the American universities, the course work for the bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees includes what are known as `term papers' (long essays or reports on specific topics) to be written by the students as assignments during the term or semester. While assigning the topic, the professors would sound a warning to the students that if anyone's term paper smacked of plagiarism, he/she would get only an `F' (Fail) grade for it.

In most leading American universities, graduate students (those working for the master's or doctorate degrees) carrying an `F' grade in their course work will have to leave the departments where they are registered. Starting off with the definition of plagiarism as being the ``appropriation of the ideas, thoughts, opinions, facts, conclusions, words, and language of someone else as one's own'', the professors would spend considerable time in emphasising to the students the ethics of research, writing, and publishing.

We have to take some steps to root out the pernicious practice of plagiarism not only in scientific research but also in all other spheres of intellectual activity in India.

S. Viswanathan,

Hyderabad

Sir, - I read with great interest Mr. Y. P. Gupta's article ``Plagiarising research data''. It is true that most Indian universities turn a blind eye to this problem. Mr. Gupta's article was an eye-opener to this problem but I do wish the author had also enumerated some solutions to the problems.

I firmly believe that this problem, at least in the Indian context, emanates from two causes, namely the lack of strong moral values and lack of creative thinking. Both these problems have to be addressed at the school level but unfortunately the schools, by and large adhere to rote learning, and also don't inculcate strong ethical values. The result of this system is witnessed in our research scholars who as a rule have lost the ability to think and work on their own, and thus indulge in such activities.

H. Kalpana,

Pondicherry

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Opinion
Previous : Export of tea
Next     : Taliban wants to engage India