Sir,

 Increasing pressure on teachers for publication of research papers, the ignorant attitude of guides towards the standards of theses and dissertations that they receive from students as well as poor regulatory mechanisms are together contributing to the rise of plagiarism in our country’s higher education area.

The word Plagiarism comes from the Latin word plagiarius which means to kidnap. It is an act of fraud, literary theft, illicit copying of another person’s work specially written content for presenting as one’s own. Plagiarism is the wrongful appropriation and stealing and publication of another author’s language, thoughts, ideas or expressions and the representation of them as one’s own original work. Plagiarism has always concerned teachers and administrators who want students’ work to represent their own efforts and to reflect the outcomes of their learning.

However, with the advent of the internet and easy access to almost limitless written material on every conceivable topic/area suspicion of student plagiarism has begun to affect teachers at all levels, at times diverting them from the work of developing students’ writing, reading, and critical thinking abilities.

Lack of sufficient knowledge, poor research and language ability, lack of time for reading and consulting good books, fear of failure and inferiority complex, and desire for immediate recognition are some of the reasons for both students and teachers indulging in plagiarism activities.

A tough regulation will definitely prove a deterrent for those involved in plagiarism. Unless there is an overall change in our academic environment, it is not possible to check plagiarism. Students and Research guides, in particular, must be properly appraised and trained in research methodology.

– Dr. N.N. Prahallada, Mysuru, 26.6.2019

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