Panaji: The National Students Union of India (NSUI) Goa has accused the Goa University (GU) of protecting one of its academicians, who has stolen the authorship of research papers from its original author Dikansh Pamar.
The NSUI led by its State President Naushad Chowdhari on Wednesday met GU Chancellor and Goa Governor P R Sreedharan Pillai narrating the ordeal faced by the research scholar in the Department of Zoology. Pamar was appointed under a project in the department in January 2020 and since then he has written five papers and authored one book. His work has been illegally transferred in the name of a professor’s wife.
“We have taken up his matter and hence approached the Chancellor to seek justice. His work has been illegitimately snatched by Assistant Professor Nitin Sawant as he gave the authorship rights to his wife. When he objected, the varsity handed him his termination letter. Is this the way a scholar is treated?” Naushad said.
The Gujarat-based scholar is also being threatened by Sawant if he continues to raise his voice against him. Naushad said that upon Pamar’s complaints to the varsity, the Vice Chancellor had appointed a one-member committee comprising of another academician from the very same university. “How can there be justice when the enquiry officer is from the GU itself? In our meeting with the Chancellor, we have demanded that a three-member committee conduct an impartial investigation,” Naushad said, adding that GU is reeled under gross illegalities and irregularities.
Naushad also mentioned that the termination letter cited that Pamar is not a GU student and is dictating authorship rights. Although, NSUI President said, Pamar is a non-Goa student “he is an asset to the varsity which has seen a considerable drop in national ranking.”
While the Chancellor Pillai has assured to communicate with the Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Hiralal Menon and Registrar Radhika Nayak, Naushad said, if the issue is not brought to a logical conclusion it will approach the court.
“We not only want revoking of the termination letter but to also punish the guilty. If not, we will go to any extent to bring justice to Pamar. We will go to the Court. We allege the present VC is following the footsteps of his predecessor,” he said.
The NSUI has meanwhile also addressed the grievance to the UGC, NAAC and Association of Indian University and demanded inquiry into this matter.
NSUI to move judiciary on inaction by GU to give justice to a research scholar if issue is not resolved
