OU VC flags imbalance between PhDs awarded and high-quality publications volume

Prof. Kumar, who convened the first meeting with all university faculty members after assuming charge as VC here, highlighted the need for research excellence, urging faculty to produce quality 3-11 publications that reflect genuine scholarship rather than simply aiming for promotions

Hyderabad: Osmania University Vice Chancellor Prof. Molugaram Kumar on Wednesday expressed concern over the imbalance between PhD degrees awarded and the volume of high-quality publications, noting that this trend does not bode well for the university’s standing.

“Innovation is the hallmark of an intellectual, and we must strive toward this ideal,” he remarked, underscoring the importance of remaining competitive amidst a growing number of premier institutions like IITs, IIMs and private universities.

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Prof. Kumar, who convened the first meeting with all university faculty members after assuming charge as VC here, highlighted the need for research excellence, urging faculty to produce quality 3-11 publications that reflect genuine scholarship rather than simply aiming for promotions.

The OU VC reminded faculty that the role of a teacher-researcher is continuous, extending beyond the classroom, and emphasized the importance of staying current in their respective fields.

Prof. Kumar also emphasized that the faculty members must prioritize class work, stressing that additional administrative duties should never interfere with teaching. He called for exam-related responsibilities, including invigilation, online marks entry, attendance, and script evaluation, to be carried out with utmost diligence and precision.

On the administrative front, Prof. Kumar announced reforms, including the digitization of all financial transactions to promote transparency and accountability, with an emphasis on eliminating cash-based transactions.

Biometric attendance will now be app-based, removing the need for costly hardware installations. Salary and tax matters, including Form 16 issuance, will also transition to an online platform, he said.

Regarding NAAC accreditation efforts, Prof. Kumar called for collective, immediate action from principals, deans, departments heads, board of studies chairs and individual faculty to address pending tasks within the next 24 hours.