KOCHI: The Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) has sought the opinion of its chancellor and Governor Justice P. Sathasivam on the issue of reported malpractises by certain scientists at the varsity in a paper published in a peer-reviewed international journal. Those who are under a cloud are director of International School of Photonics (ISP) of Cusat Dr A. Mujeeb, emeritus professor of ISP Dr V. P. N. Nampoori and Dr P. Radhakrishnan, another emeritus professor with the ISP who have co-authored the paper.
The editor-in-chief of the journal 'Applied Physics (A) Material Science and Processing' published by prestigious international publishing house Springer, had raised doubts and concerns regarding the data used by them to support their paper, which the reviewers viewed seriously. The journal authorities also published a note of concern warning international scientific community in this regard as the ISP failed to respond to its communiqué. They hoped that the ISP will conduct a full-fledged investigation into the matter. However, with differences of opinion emerging between the varsity's syndicate and the vice-chancellor Dr J. Letha over the investigation to be conducted into the issue, the vice-chancellor has referred the matter to the chancellor.
"I took the stand that since the syndicate is the authority to take the disciplinary action, it was not legally correct for its members to investigate the case and an external panel should be appointed to probe it but the syndicate members took the stand that a syndicate sub-committee should probe the case. The statute of the varsity mandates that when there is a difference of opinion between the VC and the syndicate, the matter should be referred to the chancellor. Now the chancellor would decide on the mode of investigation. We have referred the case to him, and are yet to get a reply," Dr Letha said. She also said that the journal is doubtful about the data in the paper and has expressed concern but has not conclusively said anything.
