Question : CASES OF PLAGIARISM IN CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES

(a) whether cases of plagiarism in central universities and other institutes of higher learning under the direct control of the Government have reached at an alarming high;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(c) the preventive/punitive action taken/ proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard;

(d) whether such cases have also come to the notice of the Government where National Book Trust have published books wherein the material has been lifted from internet or other such unverified sources; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and steps taken/ proposed to be taken by the Government to ensure that all its publications are authentic and well researched before they are published?

MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) to (c) University Grants Commission (UGC) constituted an expert committee to draft Regulations on Promotion of Research Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions and recommend some institutional mechanism to eliminate the menace of plagiarism in higher education system in the country.

The objective of these regulations is to create academic awareness about responsible conduct of research, research integrity and prevention of research misconduct including plagiarism in academic writing by students, researchers and teachers of higher education institutions. The aim of these regulations is also to develop systems to detect research misconduct / plagiarism and to ensure that the evil of plagiarism is contained effectively in higher educational institutions.

These regulations shall come into force as and when notified in the gazette. Once they are notified, the complaints against act of plagiarism will be resolved according to the provisions of the regulations.

(d)& (e) No, Madam. National Book Trust (NBT) has informed that the publications brought out by them are well researched and written by experts in the field. All NBT publications are being brought out after signing a detailed contract agreement with the authors before it is published.