1) Do you think that the on going research in universities in Kerala is in accordance with what society expects from academic research?
Before addressing this question I would like to say something generally about research in universities of Kerala which is relevant to your question. About the present state of research there are two important issues: First, whether research undertaken in universities is quantitatively sufficient. Generally speaking, not in specific term, the quantum of research is very little. The universities do not spent enough energy and finance for research. In fact this is the result of what has been happening in India from 1960s.During this period centers of research and independent institutes have been setup, outside the universities. As a result research in the universities has suffered. Universities mainly concentrated on teaching. Secondly, whatever little research we have its quality has not been able to keep up with the general standards outside Kerala and outside India. There are several reasons for it; one is that the infrastructural facilities for research are not sufficient. If we take the laboratories most of them are outdated and ill-equipped. If you take libraries, they are in a state of deplorable decay. The latest books and journals are hardly available. Obviously the quality of research cannot be up to the mark. The positive part is that there is large number of researchers in universities of Kerala and they should be able to produce better research in future. I think from the point of view of your question it is necessary to have greater sensitivity about social needs which should be imbibed in students from their school days itself. You cannot suddenly create socially committed researchers out of the blue.
2) Universities are mostly concentrating on teaching at the graduation and post-graduation levels. Why do they give less support to research areas? Is it the result of any policy?
I don’t think that there is any conscious policy of discouraging research. The administrators, ministers and politicians consistently talk about the importance of research. But at the same time we do not have sufficient money or intellectual resources available for research. I think the crucial fact is that the number of students who join research is relatively very small. This is because once post-graduation is over the students naturally look for jobs. They cannot depend upon parents and the family for their research, and the support, even if the person gets a fellowship, is inadequate. If we take university fellowship in Kerala I think they are a pittance. Therefore there must be a conscious policy on the part of the Government and the universities to encourage research by equating research scholarship with the salary that a teacher gets. That is the only way to get more and more students into research.
3) When we speak about society and research, the society is expecting something from the universities and from the researcher. Does the ongoing research fulfill social needs?
No. it is does not. Infact, most of the on going research does not have a social sensitivity and much of the research in our universities does not go beyond the collection of empirical details. The social dimension of research is not given much thought. As result the research lacks focus in terms of the requirements of society. Research should have some relevance to the problems of the locality also. I think such a view point has not developed yet, instead the student’s choice is guided by his/her interest only. It is high time that the universities orient research with the developmental problems of society. Each university has to think about and orient the students towards that. The present state of research has no relationship with social needs. Whether it is in science or social science or any other subject the research should be able to take the society forward. The future direction of a society is dependent up on the type of research we are undertaking, whether it is in social science or in science or in humanities. What should be the path of development is influenced by research. Such an interconnection is lacking in our universities.
4) When we compare with other universities in India what is the major draw backs in research programs in the universities of Kerala?
Kerala is far ahead of many other states in education, but at the same time the quality of education in Kerala is relatively poor. It is doubly true of research. The qualities of research in Kerala do not measure up to the best institutions in the country. There are universities in India which conducts and produce research of international standards. We are no where near them in most subjects. Now how can we tackle it that is the most relevant question? For doing quality research you must have necessary academic preparation which has two dimensions- One, research is specialization. The students should be prepared to undertake specialized study. It should happen at the M.A level or MSc level. Unfortunately in kerala universities there is not much of a specialization at the post-graduation level. Post-graduation mostly remains at a general level. If you take MSc, M.A as general papers, it dose not lead to better academic standard than in B.A or B.Sc. I will give the example of history syllabus. Most of the papers are general papers and specialized papers like history of modern India, history of medieval India, history of ancient India, or social history or intellectual history, economics history and the like are not taught. If you go into specialized areas at M.A then only you equip the students to do research after M.A. The absence of specialization at Post-graduate level is a major draw back. The second, today all over the world the research is interdisciplinary. Nobody actually can do research without sensibility to the knowledge in other disciplines. If you are doing research in political science you also read history, anthropology, sociology and economics. Similarly for research n biology knowledge of chemistry, physics and other discipline in science are essential. I was very glad to read Dr.Venkitaraman Ramakrishanan, the Nobel laureate, who said in an interview, that his knowledge of physics and mathematics enabled him to excel in biology and chemistry .Today no meaningful research in biology can be done with out the knowledge of mathematics. The interdisciplinary teaching has not happened in universities of Kerala. In the under graduate restructuring, we have provided for interdisciplinary education. Unless these two weaknesses are rectified you cannot have quality research.
5) Could you point out some of the major issues prevailing in the realm of social science and science research in India?
It is a vast question; there are many areas in which research is going on in science and social science. There isn’t specific area in which the entire energy is concentrated. Each university has got different interests that should be so, because academic research is something which people undertake according to one’s interest. But we can also say that there are some areas in which periodically people get interested or universities get interested. There was a time when a lot of works was done on imperialism. Now lot of work is being done in social exclusion. Along with that there are continued interests in state or in democracy.
6) As a Higher Education Council Vice- Chairman do you have any plan to give direction to the universities in kerala to concentrate on research?
First thing, Higher Education council does not give direction, it makes suggestions. The Council is a collective of universities, academicians and the Government. The suggestions we make are actually for the qualitative improvement of education. We believe that quality of research cannot be improved unless you improve the quality of under graduate system. That is the reason why we started with the under graduate restructuring. Many people were skeptical because it is vast and difficult. They advised us to start with changes at the post-graduate level. Our view was that we have to start with the base, if reform is to be effective. For example, if you introduce interdisciplinary teaching in M.A how can a student cop up with that, because he is not exposed to different subjects. When we think about improving the quality of research in India we should think about the undergraduate and post-graduate systems, otherwise you cannot improve the quality of research. This is a basic principle that we should strictly adhere to. Unfortunately what we do is to concentrate on research by giving scholarships. The scholarship is necessary for the researchers, but scholarship alone will not improve the quality of research. The Kerala Government has taken a very good step. It has set up a committee of very eminent scholars to suggest the ways and means to improve the quality of research. Have say that Higher Education Council is concerned about the quality of thesis produced by the universities. The impact of changes at the undergraduate and Post-graduate levels will take time. Meanwhile some fire fighting would be necessary. Higher Education Council has suggested to the universities to start a one year pre- Phd programme so that students are introduced to conceptual and theoretical issues. In kerala most of the thesis is empirically very good but not conceptually competent, because the students are not exposed conceptual and theoretical thinking. . So we are suggesting that the conceptual ability should be developed before the students undertake research. This is a positive suggestion which it is hoped that universities would consider. Some universities are implementing it. While I came to Sree Sankaracharya University, Kalady, one of the things I did was that nobody can enroll for research without doing one year pre- Phd programme which consists of course work
7) Do you think that the present academic atmosphere of the universities and institutions have a role in value- deterioration?
Value deterioration is common to education as a while, but it is important to think what value deterioration is. For instance the values in society are fast changing. People go for education today not for knowledge per se, but as a stepping stone for a job. Today, Kerala is a capitalist society, a fast developing capitalist society. The value each one nourished is linked with luxuries possible out of money. People undertake education with this in mind. That is the reason why we have private institutions which claim to cater good education. The present value in society is linked with the capitalist system. The question is whether alternative is possible or necessary? I would think yes. Alternative is necessary and possible. For that the present organization of education should change from the school level itself. There are three streams today those who can afford to send their children abroad for good education, secondly, those who can afford to send to Delhi, Bombay or Madras etc, and thirdly, those who cannot afford the cost of such education remain here. Among them those who have money, go to so-called good private institutions. This should change. If you want social values imbibed in children, this should change. In human beings first socialization takes place in their family. When a child is born she is a human being, nothing else, but your family makes her a Hindu, Muslim, Christian and so on. The child has no choice in that. The child gains the culture of that family. But then the second stage of socialization happens in school, where children meet different types of people, people from different religions, casts, and so on. The school is very, very important in the making of values. Today students imbibe from the school value of inequality, not the value of egalitarianism. If you want to have progressive human values given to the student, I think there must be neighbourhood school system. The present system needs a change and students of one locality should be admitted in to one neighborhood school; they should not go to other schools. A basic fundamental change must take place only by substituting the present school education system by a neighborhood school system. That would promote a sense of equality which is important in democracy.
8) The present Academic atmospheres in the universities and institutions have a role in the value deterioration?
Yes, indeed, the present atmosphere has become, people might object this statement, anti intellectual. In fact in most of the institutions in Kerala there is no academic culture. By academic culture what I mean is the attitude of the students moulded by their academic involvement. Both inside the class room and outside all activities in which students participate should have an academic content. For instance, I am one of those who support politics on the Campus, but that politics should have high quality and not the same as is happening in the street. The organizations of students should be able to debate about their politics. There should be higher intellectual debate which would inform politics. That is the culture we have to develop. Approach the problems with a higher level of sophistication. Only when such a culture is developed the value will be preserved and will be observed by people
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9) The academic bodies in different universities have any vision to strengthen research areas?
It is a very important question. In a university the most important body should be the Academic Council, but unfortunately it is not so. It is stated by a member of the Academic Council that Academic Council discusses everything except academics. That is the present condition. Academic council does not perform the role it should. The most important body in Universities should not be the Syndicate; it should be the Academic Council and Board of Studies. But today the Universities are run by the Syndicate. Perhaps Syndicate as exists today should be wound up and small executive commities should be formed. The decisions should be taken by the Academic Council in which teachers and students are represented. The Academic Council should take decision on the basis of recommendation of Board of Studies. What I am saying is that the present organization of academic bodies of the Universities of Kerala should be scraped and new structure should be implemented. Board of studies should be an interdisciplinary body. Teachers and students of all departments of a faculty should be represented there. They should debate on all academic matters and make a decision. Their role should not be limited to making syllabus; they should be involved with the entire academic issues of that faculty. The proposal for academic administration should emanate from the board of studies and should be debated in the Academic Councils in which the teachers from different discipline and scholars from outside universities should come together and take decisions. Such a change is important and necessary and then only positive improvement is possible. The universities should democratize. At present democracy that exists in Universities of Kerala is not academic democracy. Academic democracy is different from democracy in a government institutions, and local self governments. Academic decision making should go down to the teacher and the student. And they must have participation in running of the universities or the colleges. The two ideas should be integrated in these bodies, decentralization and academic democratization.
10) Do you think that research guidance has a role in deterioration of value and originality of the present academic research?
This raises the question of the nature of values. In research the student and guide jointly undertake research. It is not actually the student alone doing research. In actual research the Supervisor may not be an expert. The Supervisor’s role is, on the basis of his knowledge in the broad area of research. The role of the guide has got to be clearly understood. A teacher cannot take 20 or 30 students for research. There should be a limited number of students. Then only the continuous interaction is possible. Let me narrate an incident from one of the universities of Kerala. A highly placed academic administration was accused of plagiarism by way of copying from a book written by his supervisor. When an enquiry was made it turned out to be true. But the supervisor himself had copied from another book!
11) What is your opinion about the present availability of research resources in Kerala, both library and laboratory?
Both library and laboratory facilities are insufficient in Kerala. For library we do not spend enough money to obtain all necessary sources which the students require. The university library should have all books published on different subjects. In the case of laboratories, the explosion of knowledge that is taken place is phenomenal and to get all sources is not very easy. Now with the improvement of technology, particularly the IT, it has become easier. Today lot of research journals are on internet, but university should have computer facilities which is lacking. Libraries should open for a longer time as is happening in most of the universities abroad. Jawaharlal Nehru University library is open till12 in the night. Library should open on guzetted holidays, and on all religious festivals.
12) What is the impact of globalization on the aim, value and practice of the current academic research in our Universities?
I think the direction of research has changed. Globalization has brought different perspectives on research. In history lot of thinking is going on on global history. The last Inter National Conference of History had the opening discussion on global history. Was it a response to understand the process of globalization? The opening up that has happened as a result of globalization is changing the character of research. If you take social science and humanities there is a getting out of the locality and comparison with what is happening in other societies. There is more and more industry-university public-private participation. At the same time globalization opens up society for imperialist exploitation. As a result of that, how the imperialist expansion could be resisted, is a major concern. Those who talk about it are very few with left orientation. Resistance to domination is a theme which has emerged in the present conditions. Generally speaking Globalization has affected the research agenda in a negative way.
13) What is your opinion about the cultural research and the influence of imperialism?
This is one area in which most of my research is concentrated. Almost about 20 years back when globalization had started I wrote an article by name ‘culture and globalization’. This is one of the first written articles on the subject. It was initially a lecture which I gave in a seminar in Delhi. It was published in Hindu, and there after reproduced in several collections. It is a vast subject; I will tell you about two parts of the cultural research. First, the situation in which domination is attempted. There are two means by which domination is attempted. One is through force, through weapon, that is what used to happen in the past, but in advance capitalism the domination is attempted more through consent. Now the consent can be sought in different ways. .One way it is through cultural domination and cultural dissemination. The cultural ideas are accepted and internalized. James Petras who has written a lot about cultural issues, has shown that in America one out of five Americans make their money from culture industry. One good example of culture industry in the world today is of toys. Each toy which will cost Rs 2000- 4000 is turned out from new cartoons and new cinema. The perceptions of children are influenced by these toys. These kinds of toys become attractive through cartoon figures. It is clear that cultural domination is linked with economic production. This is the one dimension. Second is what happens to people, societies which is being dominated by cultural industry of advanced capitalist countries. India has lot of malls, departmental stores etc. They influence our cultural taste. They decide what kind of shirt you wear. In America nobody stitches a shirt. So is it in India now. We go to a store and pick up the necessary clothes. What you pick up is decided by the shop. They may give a choice of 5, but the choice is made by them. There is scarcely a cultural choice. Your culture and cultural practices are decided by the market, and that happens all over the world
14) Are new media and its presentation good for the society and research?
Media is a great force, particularly on the way we think. Today if we take Kerala the public opinion is really created by the media. It is a big organization and big money is behind it, but the whole character of media has changed. When I was studying I used newspaper as a source for my research. Because newspaper is a truthful source, what is contained in it is used as facts. Today you will not do that. What appears in the newspaper is mediated by several interests. If someone is using news paper for research resource corroborative evidence would be required. What is most grievous is that media is being increasingly influenced by money. The latest development that news space will have to bought is very detrimental to democracy.
15) What are your suggestions and Opinions for a good and committed research to overcome these issues?
It is a very important question. When the student comes for research, there should be an orientation. Most universities do not undertake any orientation. But the progressive student organization should conduct orientation. The orientation just not for half a day in which somebody comes and inaugurates and some speeches made etc, but at least for two or three days. Important theories and problems and methods of research should be discussed. The students should be able to sensitize themselves regarding major issues in research. Now there is no such orientation taking place. Long time back when I inaugurated your annual conference I asked an uncomfortable question. Have you ever gone on strike demanding that the library is inadequate? When the research scholars come to university they are a senior lot. I think they should be able to set the example. I talked about academic culture; it is these students who should be able to set the example for the creation of academic culture. They should be in the library, they should be engaging in serious discussion, they must interact with undergraduate students, and post graduate students etc. and must create a good atmosphere. Scholars should create research forums for social science, science or general subject in which before submitting the thesis, students should present their findings in the research Forum. Similarly three month before submission organize an open defense of the thesis. The research fraternity should ensure that the thesis is of high quality.
