Rethinking Research, Restoring Its Spirit

In today's world of higher education, research has become a central measure of quality, prestige, and survival for universities.

- Dr. Gurjit Singh Bhathal

Governments, funding agencies, and accreditation bodies place research output at the heart of institutional evaluation, while global and national rankings depend heavily on citations, publications, and grants secured. On paper, this shift toward research seems like a sign of academic progress. It gives the impression that Indian institutions are catching up with global trends, contributing to knowledge creation, and pushing the boundaries of science and technology. Yet behind this bright facade lies a darker reality: a system plagued with immense pressure, high costs, and commercialization. For faculty members, research scholars, and students, research is no longer just a pursuit of curiosity and innovation but has become a survival strategy entangled in money, rankings, and bureaucratic demands. The pressure of rankings is perhaps the biggest driver of this mess. Universities today are judged not just on the quality of teaching but on the number of papers published, patents filed, and grants obtained. International rankings such as QS and Times Higher Education, and national frameworks like the NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) in India, have created a competitive race in which institutions chase numbers rather than meaningful impact. Grants from government bodies are often tied to these rankings, with the perception that only highly-ranked institutes deserve funding. This means that faculty and research scholars are constantly reminded that their publications and citations are not just for personal growth but for the "prestige" of the institution. In turn, this creates a culture where research is seen less as a contribution to society and more as a metric to climb a ladder, often sidelining the true spirit of academic inquiry.