Struggling to control research quality, India reverses the “publish or perish” policy and decentralizes quality control

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47909/ijsmc.224

Palabras clave:

publish or perish, university grants commission, research quality, academic research, decentralization

Resumen

Objective. This study highlighted potential limitations in a policy aimed at mandating the publication of research papers as a means of ensuring quality. It explored the underlying mechanisms and rationales suggesting that such policies may, in some cases, yield unintended consequences, potentially affecting research quality adversely. The study also evaluated the decision to decentralize quality control at the level of local universities.

Design/Methodology/Approach. A dual approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative elements, was employed in the analysis. A survey was conducted on approximately 400 research scholars, who were asked to respond to a predetermined questionnaire. Two hypotheses were tested: first, that mandatory measures may not effectively promote quality; and second, that a decentralized approach to control quality will be effective. These hypotheses were tested based on survey data. Furthermore, an additional five experts were interviewed to explore the matter in greater depth.

Results/Discussion. The hypothesis that the “publish or perish” policy has not been effective in enhancing research quality was corroborated. The data suggested that mandating publication for quality assurance purposes may have had unintended negative effects. This trend appeared to be associated with the growth of journals characterized as cloned, predatory, or of questionable integrity, which offered publication opportunities in exchange for fees. As a result, a commercialized journal ecosystem began to take shape. Many research scholars engaged with such journals to meet the formal requirements for publication. The second hypothesis, which postulated the efficacy of a decentralized approach to quality control, was not supported by the data. Despite the prevailing sentiment that decentralization had been a successful strategy, researchers expressed reservations regarding its efficacy.

Conclusions. The implementation of a “publish or perish” policy did not necessarily result in the desired enhancement of research quality. Given the recognized limitations of the quality policy at the national level, research scholars were also doubtful about the potential success of decentralized quality controls at the local university level. In light of these challenges, experts had proposed alternative mechanisms to ensure the quality of research.

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Iberoamerican Journal of Science Measurement and Communication

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2025-05-11

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Sane, A., & Sharma, S. (2025). Struggling to control research quality, India reverses the “publish or perish” policy and decentralizes quality control. Iberoamerican Journal of Science Measurement and Communication, 5(2), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.47909/ijsmc.224

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Vol. 5 Núm. 2 (2025): Iberoamerican Journal of Science Measurement and Communication

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