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Plagiarist professors: LUMS quiz: Beaconites excel in 'O' level
Plagiarist professors
March 03, 2008: The Punjab University (PU), one of the most prestigious centres of higher
learning in the country, appears to have degenerated into an institution
harbouring plagiarist professors of every tier. The former head of the
university's Psychology Department, removed a few weeks ago after allegations of
plagiarism made against him were found to be backed by evidence, has now accused
the professor appointed in his place of stealing from the work of students. He
has also alleged previous complaints against her to the Higher Education
Commission (HEC) had been ignored. This latest fracas comes only a few days
after the PU chancellor, the governor of Punjab, dismissed several high-profile
physics professors who had been found guilty of similar academic fraud following
an HEC-ordered inquiry.
While the entire situation has led to a Pandora's
Box of accusations and counter-accusations being opened up, with accusations of
deliberate conspiracy thrown into the cauldron by those accused, the whole
situation exposes the scale of the plagiarist menace in the country. Over the
past few years alone, similar charges have led to punitive measures against
staff or research students at the Government College University in Lahore and
the Jamshoro University in Sindh. It is feared the problem may be just as rife
at other places. In the first place, for all the criticism levelled towards it,
the HEC needs to be commended for taking on the matter head-on. Its unflinching
determination to deal severely with plagiarists has helped drive home the
message that such academic fraud is unacceptable. Till now it had been seen as a
practice that was only rarely referred to or even regarded as an
offence.
Such attitudes, which are contributing to the ongoing, and
extremely ugly, controversy at the PU, are also a reminder of just how low our
academic standards have slipped. It seems that not only students, but also
senior professors, think little of claiming work done by others around the world
as their own. A similar mindset and the disappearance of ethics from academics
at all levels, has contributed to the widespread menace of cheating - with
surveys showing that many students, from primary level upwards, do not even see
this as a problem. In fact, the malaise does not affect only academics and
teachers but also is quite pervasive, perhaps because of the widespread use of
the Internet, among students. Many assume that there is nothing wrong in
copying, often verbatim, material from elsewhere without attributing it to the
original source of publication. The presumption is that there is nothing wrong
with this and that such material is in the public realm. Clearly, any attempt to
stem the tide of plagiarism on our university and college campuses will have to
take into consideration this aspect as well. A start could come from the HEC
which could require all such institutions to formulate and implement honour
codes that unambiguously set rules concerning plagiarism and which empower
administrations to penalize students that violate such guidelines.
A
major change in the approach to academics is required if the prestige of once
renowned institutions is to be restored. Private-sector universities have shown
that it is indeed possible to enforce rigorous standards of research and study,
on par with those expected anywhere in the world. Other institutions, including
those based in the public sector, need to emulate these models - and thus rescue
higher education and research from the depths into which it has currently
fallen, largely as a consequence of indifference shown in the past by bodies
intended to enforce standards and prevent the kind of malpractice that now seems
to be rampant at the PU and elsewhere. The News
Beaconites excel in 'O' level examination
Islamabad, March 03: The annual prize distribution ceremony of the Beaconhouse
School System (BSS), Boys Branch, Margalla Campus, was held here.
Branch
Head Mrs Ayesha Sohail highlighted distinctions achieved by students of BMI-B in
the GCE 'O' level examinations of 2006-07 in which Muhammad Junaid Farooq topped
internationally in Mathematics D, Shimron Bhatti topped internationally in
Religious Studies and Asad Hassan topped in Islamabad Region in Chemistry. Wasiq
Ahmed Tarar secured first position internationally in Kangaroo Mathematics Test
and two BMI-B students got United World Colleges scholarship, says a press
release.
Presenting the school's annual report, the branch head added
that emphasis is given on curricular as well as extra-curricular activities from
early classes.
On the occasion, students presented a tableau, national
songs and skits. Beaconhouse School System Executive Director Daniyal Kasuri
distributed prizes among students.
BSS Margalla Campus Principal Naveed
Kazmi, CEO Mrs Fouzia Rizwan and HMBMI-G Mrs Shamim Farooq also attended the
ceremony. The News
Quiz held at YLES to test general, corporate knowledge
Lahore, March 02: A quiz competition was held on the third day of the Young
Leaders and Entrepreneurs Summit (YLES) 2008 at the Lahore University of
Management Sciences (LUMS) on Saturday.
The quiz was to test the general
and corporate knowledge of the participants that aroused animated discussions,
warming the delegates to the demanding round of 'Harvard Case
Study'.
According to a press release, Harvard Case Study – conducted
under the supervision of experienced moderators – provided the participants with
a forum to display their decision-making and entrepreneurial skills, and to
sharpen their analytical sense for the competition ahead.
Balancing the
bridge between student life and the real corporate world, it tested their
ability to formulate sound opinions, based on logical and rational reasoning,
and to present their points of view as part of a group convincingly.
The
participants received some leisure time, during which they were apprised of the
fortunate ones who proceeded on to the next rounds.
Commencing after an
hour-long break, Leader Quiz Round 2 and Harvard Case Study (final round)
brought the participants back to the forum, involving them in the active debates
and discussions once again.
Finishing the proceedings, Harvard Case
Study's moderators reconciled the varying opinions and issued a decision based
on the strength of the arguments posed by various groups. On the other hand,
another quiz session proceeded to decide the winners. Daily Times
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