Mandatory publication for academic promotions - an issue to ponder

Abstract

Dear Sir,

        In the pursuit of academic progress, the initiative   instituted towards promoting research in all fields including health is most welcome. The compulsoriness of publications for academic promotions which has most likely been an extension of this initiative is now leading to more efforts by academicians in this direction. This could prove to be counterproductive in some ways. There are various aspects to this issue. The fundamentals of any useful research are a valid research question and the appropriate scientific methodology to decipher the answer. Now there are clear cut scientific norms to do the same. All that is fine, but what about an even more important aspect, the aptitude and mind set for doing research. An argument that could be raised is that it can be inculcated by the educational system. In my experience I find that the mind set to question and explore is far less common than the tendency to learn what is already established and follow it with care. Each mind is unique in its organization and finds comfort in a certain way of operation. The effort required to change this established structure is quite a lot and is likely to be successful in only a few cases. Even justification for this effort to change, what someone is comfortable with, is open to query. We have to bear in mind that none is superior or inferior as it is often made out to be and each kind of operation is valid in its own way.