Never imposed any condition on research subjects: HRD clarifies after controversy

NEW DELHI: The Union human resource development (HRD) ministry on Monday clarified that it has not issued any directive to restrict the choice of subjects for research. It emphasised the government believes in the freedom to research.

The clarification came days after a Central University of Kerala (CUK) circular said research should be carried out in accordance with “national priorities” on March 13 and triggered outrage. The CUK said decisions taken following a meeting of vice-chancellors at Delhi’s Shastri Bhawan in Delhi, where the HRD ministry is headquartered, included discouraging research in irrele- vant areas.

In a statement on Monday, the HRD ministry said it had not imposed any restrictions on research.

“Last year, there was a meeting of vice-chancellors of 11 Central Universities, which were lacking in research. In the said meeting they presented a road map to improve research and also discussed the issue of more research on issues relating to national priorities. The minutes of the meeting was recorded,” the ministry said.

A government official said one of the university functionaries raised the issue of public money being spent on topics, which are irrelevant to the society. He added it was felt that efforts should be made to carry out research, which is of rele- vance to society. “The ministry had not given any binding directions. In fact, none of the other universities, which too participated in the meeting, has even issued any such directive,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

In its circular, the CUK asked the heads of its departments to convene a meeting and prepare a list of projects to be taken up for research considering national priorities. “When fellows are being admitted for PhDs, the topics for the thesis should be in accordance with the national priorities. Allotting privilege topics to the PhD students should be dispensed with,” the circular said.

Meena T Pillai, a professor, quit the CUK’s board in protest against the circular. She said the circular was aimed to curtail the freedom to carry out academic research. “This, in a sense, sounds the death knell for free research in the country,” Pillai said.

She added such a regulation would not be followed in any university worth its name across the world.

“Automatically, it is a given that research is an area where people think freely. They have the right to critique, ask questions, they have the right dissent. What to study, how to study is the prerogative of the researcher. If you put strings on, then no independent knowledge production would happen in the country,” she said.

Pillai questioned who would decide what “national priorities” are.