In context of the recent reports about plagiarism in Indian academic institutions, Oakland, California (USA) headquartered Turnitin LLC – an edtech company at the forefront of academic integrity solutions for 20 years – highlighted the need for building a culture of academic and research integrity in India. Ashim Sachdeva, regional director – South Asia, TurnitIndia Education Pvt. Ltd., said, “Building a culture of integrity across all academic and research institutions is not only about having software tools to identity originality of published works, but even more about using these effectively to build an academic pedagogy and research ecosystem that encourages critical thinking amongst students from the grassroots level”.
Sachdeva added, “According, to a report issued by World Economic Forum in 2016, we are heading towards the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’. But are our students ready for this new industrial landscape? Success in this environment requires an updated skill set that includes the ability to think critically, write authentically, and convey one’s thoughts in a systematic and logical way.”
While the anti-plagiarism policy proposed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India is certainly a big step towards promotion of original research, Sachdeva recommends that “Institutions should embrace the policy not merey as a policing or punitive initiative of setting up academic integrity departments but as a vital step towards building academic and research excellence by instituting a culture of integrity through formative assessment and analytical thinking”.
Oakland, California headquartered Turnitin’s originality checking and authorship investigation services ensure academic integrity, promote critical thinking, and help students improve their authentic writing. To learn more, visit http://turnitin.com/.
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