RESEARCH POLICY AND PRACTICE

Policy:

Being a college with a difference since its inception in 1881, the American College, Madurai has been an academia par excellence in serving the cause of Higher Education imbued with a holistic perspective in imparting the state-of-the-art knowledge and skills with high seriousness and robustness relevant to contemporary times. Pedagogy of the Twenty First Century – updated and innovative- with a right blend of cutting-edge research has been the hallmark of the college. Fair subscription to original ideas, and framing curriculum adopting novel strategies, improvisations in Teaching- Learning process and evaluation patterns for an effective pedagogy and knowledge-generation/transmission through village outreach programmes, extension projects and  competency- building workshops through the munificent grants offered by the Research and Development Committee of the college have always accelerated the growth of the institution.

In tune with the recommendations of the Kothari commission on National Policy on Education (1968), the college had championed the cause of Higher Education with three cardinal principles of Excellence, Relevance and Employability . Catering to the needs of the students through enhanced teacher- responsibility coupled with teaching-learning strategies in the stated domains, the college has always addressed the needs and priorities of its stakeholders through consultations and perfect professional expertise at various levels. The spirit of inquiry and conscientious subscription to fair functioning have led to the active research slant in all these approaches. The erstwhile office of the Academic Dean and an exclusive office of Dean for Curriculum Development and Research later, with the advice of the Research and Development committee, have been engaged in monitoring and encouraging the progress of research of the faculty and students.

In this post-second cycle of NAAC, research policies were revamped and newer references were created to strengthen the domain-centered approach. This in turn, has enhanced infrastructure and research equipment of the departments many fold. The college has made a paradigm shift in creating common instrumentation facilities that offer channels for pursuing innovations and improvisations so as to create a fresh ambience and eco systems for multi-disciplinary and cross-major learning and research. Today, as an integral part of the curriculum, the college promotes independent and group investigations and dissertation studies among undergraduate and postgraduate students. It also encourages its faculty to handle projects that would act as catalysts for developing grant proposals to attract funding agencies in India and abroad.

Positioned on firm foundation and backed by a century-old experience, the research policy of the college articulates that quality research, which engenders a sound knowledge-based society, is the hallmark of learning in the portal of Higher Education in India. Through effective and innovative measures, the research facility available in the college will direct, augment and invigorate a spirit of enquiry, scientific temperament, research aptitude, capacity-building, and character-formation in grooming researchers. These ideals are well envisioned and nurtured by the object of the institution.

Practice:

Induction and duties of Research scholars:

• Interested scholars shall apply to the respective universities to clear the eligibility test conducted in July and February.
• Scholars shall apply for research position exist in the college and appear for counseling at the beginning of the academic calendar and the provisional order of admission will be issued by the Principal
• Scholars shall meet the Dean of Research and the original certificates will be submitted in the office.
• On completion of formalities the scholar will be issued a Roll No like 20 PHD **, 20 PHD MAT ** and an ID card which shall be worn by the scholar inside the premises
• An orientation program will be arranged for the newly enrolled scholars.
• A separate attendance register to be maintained at Principals office for all the scholars
  • Leave applications to be submitted to the principal’s office forwarded by the Guide on a regular basis
  • On-duty leave shall be availed on outside works/conferences /workshops etc.
  • Maternity leave is allowed as per UGC norms.
• A Research Advisory Committee for each Department (RAC) is to be formed and the same will finalize the study design and methodology of the research to be done.
• RAC shall comprise: Principal, Dean of research, Heads, Research Guides of the department. (Optional – Two technical experts may be added to the committee for reviewing the progress of the scholars)
• Subsequently scholar will be assigned a mentor for selecting a research TOPIC/GUIDE
• Eligible scholars will be paid a scholarship each month as decided by the administration.
• Scholars shall pay a nominal fee every year for the college and also the University as per requirements.
• Should complete the course work in the first semester. As per MKU rules COE will conduct examinations in regard to the course works.
• The course works shall have 2/4 different courses as prescribed by MKU in the circular no. MKU/PhD/CW2016/Circular-AC to earn 12/14 credits.

For those who registered from 01.04.2017 to 31.03.2019

For those who registered from 01.04.2019

• These courses shall be designed by the Board of studies of the respective department and the same should be presented in the academic council for ratification. Any change in the courses shall be duly effected only after following the usual procedures.
• Supplementary examinations will be held in both the odd and even semesters. Scholars who could not complete the course works after two years shall summarily be allowed to exit the program.
• Apart from these courses the scholars are encouraged to pass one specialized course conducted by NPTEL or COURSERA or any course equivalent
• Grades in the course work shall be finalized by research advisory committee (RAC) and the same will be sent to University.
• Mark statement will be issued by the controller of examinations and a course work completion certificate shall be issued by the Dean of Research.
• It is mandatory to have the course work mark statement to confirm the provisional PhD registration in the respective Universities and also for the final submission of thesis.
• Every year one RAC meeting will be held in April to review the progress of the scholar the committee will authorize in consent with the guide for furthering the research work. Any issues will be sorted here and will be implemented in the following year.
• A report of the meeting shall be submitted by committee to the dean office for documentation.
• Student will carry out research work independently in the supervision of the GUIDE either in the premises or outside with prior approval from the RAC and Principal.
• Scholars will be advised to apply for scholarship from both national and International agencies.
• Scholars will be advised to avail Senior Research Fellowship at the end of the second year of research.
• Students shall publish at least TWO peer reviewed research papers published in UGC indexed journals before the submission of Ph.D thesis.
• Relieving of research scholars shall follow the procedure outline below:
• No dues from the guide, department, department library, DPM library, Hostel, Instrumentation centre(for science students) should be obtained
• Dean will forward the application to the principal
• Principal will formally relieve the student from the college and will order the dean to issue all the certificates.
• A research experience certificate will be issued and certified by the Guide, Dean and the Principal & Secretary.

Research Guides:

• Potential research guides should be identified in all streams of Aided/SF/Management programs and should be encouraged to do quality research at the college premises.
• The guides will be encouraged to obtain guideship from various UGC recognized research institutions and International institutions.
• The guides will be given adequate facilities and can avail the resources in the college premises.
• They shall avail on-duty-leave as per government rules and the same can be extended for SF/Management faculties.
• Any research guide who is an “outsider” but is willing to use the institution as the research centre will collaborate with any of the faculty of the local department. (An “outsider” is a one who is not a regular member or a faculty of The American College but an expert who is willing to help the students to do their research in their institution or in the college premises)
• Guides should keep the record of students of the past and present and should be able to give any information when asked.

Publication ethics:

• Research guides who encourage scholars to publish in any of the fake journals, predatory journals, fake conferences and fake awards will not be allowed to continue as research guides in the departments.
• Scholars should be discouraged to publish papers in paid journals and open journals.
• Should engage only Scopus indexed or UGC regulated journals.
• Attending Conferences by organizations and associations and local colleges should be discouraged while conferences by Universities and central institutes are encouraged.
• Publication and presentation of any form of research shall be done in prior consent from the supervisor.
• All publications should carry the guide as the corresponding author.
• Scholars who will engage in any of the collaborative work shall get the consent from the guide and any deviation from this practice will invite disciplinary action against the scholar.
• The collaborations and MOUs can be signed by the respective guide and the same should be properly intimated to the Deans office and the Principal & Secretary. Any deviations from this practice will invite disciplinary action against the scholar/guide.
• Works under collaborations are encouraged while the publications will carry the guides as one of the corresponding author.
• Any other practice will not give credentials to scholar and guide and the same is considered as “outsourcing” which is categorically discouraged.
• Such publications will not be added to the scholar/guide’s credentials in the college.

Repository and documentation:

• Guideship orders from guides will be kept in the repository at the Deans office.
• All admission letters and scholars related documents and certificates will be kept at the Deans office
• The documents related to their guideship, attending conferences/workshops, and peer reviewed publications shall be submitted to the Dean’s office periodically for NAAC/IQAC/NIRF documentation.
• The copy of the documents related to any publication should be kept in the respective department and Head will keep a repository of these documents.
• Published papers in the reviewed journals and conferences shall be kept at a repository of DPM library and the same will be kept as bound volumes for each year.
• The final thesis in the bound form and a soft copy will be kept at the repository of DPM library for public use and reference.
• The final thesis should also be submitted to the respective department library for the students use and reference.
• College websites will carry the publication records of the year by all the departments and the same should be maintained by the DPM library.

Change of Guide and Topic:

• A proposal shall be given by the scholar to the Dean and the same will be analysed by the ARC. The findings shall be forwarded to the principal and upon the Principals approval the same will be forwarded to the respective University for further actions.

Research Departments:

• All departments from Aided/SF schemes will be encouraged to receive the recognition from MKU as research centres.
• Departments shall keep a record of research guides and students and a notice board shall be kept in regard to this.
• A separate research scholar room should be kept in every department.
• A scholar will assist the Head to maintain the webpage of research activities of the department showing publications and other research activities.

Grievance and counseling:

• Any complaint against the scholar can be lodged by the guide directly to Principal and Secretary.
• Any complaint against the guide can be lodged by the scholar directly to Principal and Secretary.
• Any complaint by the scholar against a fellow scholar or other faculty or staffs can be submitted to the Head of the department or to the Deans office.
• Any grievance by women scholars shall approach Dean of Women students, Women’s Hostel wardens and the Dean’s office.
• Complaints regarding the academic practices shall be conveyed to the Dean’s office.
• Complaints of very serious offences shall be informed directly to the Principal and Secretary.
• Committees / ARC or any other Discipline committee shall be formed by the Principal & Secretary in consultation with the Dean and the committee will deal with the complaints raised.
• Action on discipline proceedings shall be executed by the Principal & Secretary.
• Counseling will be done to complainants and the issues will be resolved within the regulations of the institution.
• Taking the allegations and complaints outside the college jurisdiction without the consent from the Principal & Secretary will summarily invite removal of the complainants from the Institution.

Discipline of scholars:

• Rules and regulations of the college should be adhered
• Discipline of scholars shall be maintained as per the college regulations.