Top scientist quits job alleging lack of autonomy
Nov 20, 2006 - 6:52:37 PM
, Reviewed by: Priya Saxena
|
|
|
Abbas completed his Masters in physics from McMaster University, Canada, and pursued a Ph.D in theoretical physics from Rutgers University in the US.
|
By Jatindra Dash, Indo-Asian News Service,
[RxPG] Bhubaneswar, Nov 20 (IANS) Afsar Abbas, a scientist who three months ago was appointed the founding director of a top government research centre, has suddenly resigned from his post over what he says is lack of autonomy. An international conference, which was being organised by him and was scheduled for January 2007, also had to be cancelled due to his resignation.
Abbas quit the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences (CIRBAS), New Delhi last week due to differences in opinion with higher authorities, including over appointment of faculty.
'There were several areas of conflict with higher authorities in the university there' Abbas, who has joined the Institute of Physics here, told IANS.
'The main problem arose over hiring two professors, two readers and ten lecturers in the centre which was advertised earlier. I wanted to appoint the best available talents.'
CIRBAS began its work recently at the Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi and is funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The centre's main thrust is interdisciplinary research in basic science. It has started a Masters course - Integrated M.Sc in Biotechnology and Bioinformatics.
'As the director of an autonomous centre, I wanted the screening committee to include members from top Indian educational institutions like Delhi University (DU), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Delhi. This was not allowed,' he said.
'Autonomy means the centre would act independently under a management board with the director as the highest executive authority. This is the standard way all research centres and institutes function.
'Though this exists on paper, the same is denied in reality. The authorities were also forcing upon me a local screening committee where at least two persons were completely unacceptable,' said Abbas.
'I could not accept any action which would be detrimental to the larger interests of the centre and the country and hence I resigned,' he added.
'The international conference on 'Science in 21st century', which I was working on, also had to be unfortunately cancelled,' he said.
About 250 Indian and foreign scientists were scheduled to attend the conference to identify future areas of research in basic sciences. A few Harvard experts, distinguished scientists from Italy and France, and a Nobel laureate had consented to attend the conference,' said Abbas.
Abbas completed his Masters in physics from McMaster University, Canada, and pursued a Ph.D in theoretical physics from Rutgers University in the US.
He came to India after working abroad for 17 years, including at the Weizmann Institute, Israel; Technical University, Darmstadt; and Manchester University, Britain.
|
Subscribe to India Newsletter
|
|
E-mail Address:
|
|
Feedback
|
For any corrections of factual information, to contact the editors or to send
any medical news or health news press releases, use
feedback form
|
Top of Page
|
