Research Ethics

All matters of ethics in research are managed by the College Research Ethics Committee, which is now known as the Research Ethics and Academic Integrity Panel.

The RE-AIP consists of the following permanent members:

In case of a hearing regarding ethical misconduct by any faculty member, a Department Staff Representative will be present for the proceedings to ensure that institutional victimization does not happen.

In case of a hearing regarding ethical misconduct by any scholar, a Department Scholar Representative will be present for the proceedings to ensure that institutional victimization does not happen.

Role Expected from Mentors

• Constantly update knowledge.
• Be open-minded and supportive.
• Facilitate research activities.
• Be firm but fair.
• Assign clear roles for mentees without ambiguity.

Role Expected from Scholars

• Sincerity and dedication
• Honesty and transparency
• Rigour
• Respect to co-workers and mentors
• Responsibility and legality

Legal Awareness

All researchers are expected to be aware of and respect the laws of the land regarding:

1. IPR (patents, trademarks, copyrights, plagiarism) and publication
2. Privacy and confidentiality
3. Transfer and handling of bioresources and / or hazardous material

Norms of Publications and Collaborations

All publications should conform to discipline-specific good practices:

• The authors must be able to identify their contribution to a research output (article / patent / book / product).
• The authors should accept personal responsibility for their research outputs.
• Contributions of collaborators should be properly acknowledged with their permission.
• Honorary authorships are strongly discouraged.

Misconduct in Research

The practices deemed misconduct in research are stated in the research ethics policy. Misconduct in research is taken seriously, and those found guilty of such practices will be subject to disciplinary action.

Plagiarism Policy

In order to prevent plagiarism and promote academic integrity, Vidyasagar College maintains a strict policy with regard to the research work carried out by the staff and students. The research work carried out by the college faculty or students has to be based on their original ideas and should not be copied from anywhere. The work submitted should include an abstract with keywords, introduction, objectives, hypotheses, research methodology, analysis and interpretation, summary and observations, conclusions, recommendations and references.

Integrity makes researchers engage in honest and transparent practices while conducting the research. Justice encourages fair practices and prevents unjust practices, such as bias in research. Respect for people’s rights and dignity regards individuals’ rights while also acknowledging the individual worth. These ethical principles are carefully followed in the entire research process.