TNN, Nov 15, 2010,
MUMBAI: Published work listed by the newly appointed vice-chancellor of the University of Mumbai, Rajan Welukar, is being described by some academics as barely meeting the requirements to be V-C and of a much lower quality than other candidates who were in the fray.
Welukar had listed 12 works in his resume during the V-C selection process, but some university faculty members said that not all 12 can be considered research papers. Four papers included three "problems" and one result, said the faculty members, who used the Right to Information (RTI) Act to get the details.
Of the remaining eight papers, two were not yet published and one Welukar was still working on. This leaves only five research papers on the list. According to the rule, the V-C should have a "minimum of five research publications in peer-reviewed/referred international research journals after PhD and/or published quality books in a recognized discipline referenced for study in higher education at the national or international level".
A faculty member, who received copies of all the CVs, said, "Welukar barely scrapes through. When resumes are compared, the other contenders who were in the race stand tall in terms of the quality and quantity of their research." An academic questioned, "Also, when regulations state that a candidate should submit only published research, why has Welukar listed out problems sent to journals?"
The list submitted by Welukar was sent by the teachers, who wished to remain anonymous, to experts. The faculty members wrote to the editor of a journal which had carried a problem submitted by Welukar. Brigitte Servatius, editor-in-chief of the Pi Mu Epsilon Journal, wrote back saying the matter submitted by Welukar could not be considered a research paper. "Problems are edited by the problems editor who will do a peer review, but publishing a problem is by nature not equivalent to publishing a paper,'' stated Servatius, in response to a query posed by an academician on the "editorial policy of Pi Mu Epsilon to peer-review problems sent for publication, and whether the published problem was considered equivalent to a peer-reviewed articles/paper?"
P C Gupta, retired professor (statistics) of South Gujarat University, speaking on Welukar's published work, said, "A problem in the Journal of School of Science Mathematics (published in) January 2009, and a problem in Pi Mu Epsilon (that appeared in) fall 2009, cannot be considered as publications/research paper/research article. Also, a result on 'Fibonacci numbers' in the Mathematical Gazette, published in November 2005, again cannot be considered a research article/research paper in the field of statistics.''
Referring to another paper listed by Welukar, on 'Expansion by Inclusion-Exclusion', which appeared in The American Mathematical Monthly in May 2005, Gupta explained that it is "again a problem whose solution is provided by others and hence cannot be considered a research article/paper in the field of statistics''.
Two papers listed by Welukar were still in queue to be published when the V-C selection process began: 'Satellite-based education in YCMOU', which was submitted to the Australian Journal 'Distance Education', and 'A waiting type model and associated results', which was sent to The Mathematical Gazette.
The Mumbai V-C's selection has been embroiled in controversy. Two PILs challenging his appointment claimed that he did not possess the requisite experience to become the university's head. The PILs allege that Welukar's appointment was in "violation" of UGC guidelines and that, by qualification, he was a grade lecturer.
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