UGC’s Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2018

UGC’s Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2018 came into effect on 23^rd July 2018.  The Regulation contains a total of 13 clauses in which Clause 5 (Awareness Programs and Trainings); Clause 6 (Curbing plagiarism) and Clause 7 (Similarity checks for exclusion from Plagiarism) are some of the areas where libraries can play a big role. 

All HEI (Higher Education Institutions) have to constitute an Institutional Academic Integrity Panel (IAIP) according to this regulation. IAIP comprising 4 persons including Chairman will be as follows:

1. Chairman: Pro-VC/Dean/Senior Academicians of the HEI
2. Member: Senior Academician other than chairman from the concerned university
3. Member: One member nominated by the Chairman from outside the University
4. Member: A person well-versed with anti-plagiarism tools, nominated by the chairman

There are Four Levels of Plagiarism recognized under the regulations. However, Level 0: Similarities up to 10% are considered ‘minor similarities’ and kept under ‘No Penalty’. The Three Levels of Penalties are set under two distinct cases: (i) Plagiarism in the Case of Submission of Theses and Dissertations, and (ii) Plagiarism in the Case of Academic and Research Publications.

       I.           

           In case of Plagiarism in Submission of Theses and Dissertations, the penalties at different Levels are set as follows:

• Level 0: Similarities up to 10% - No Penalty

• Level 1: Similarities above 10 to 40% - Such student shall be asked to submit a revised manuscript within 6 months

• Level 2: Similarities above 40 to 60% - Such student shall be debarred from submitting a revised manuscript for a period of one year.

• Level 3: Similarities above 60% - Such student registration for the programme shall be cancelled.

    II.      In case of Plagiarism in Academic and Research Publications, the penalties at different Levels are set as follows:

• Level 0: Similarities up to 10% - No Penalty

• Level 1: Similarities above 10 to 40% - Shall be asked to withdraw manuscript

• Level 2: Similarities above 40 to 60% - (i) Shall be asked to withdraw manuscript (ii) shall be denied a right to one annual increment and (iii) shall not be allowed to be a supervisor to any new Master’s, M.Phil, Ph.D student/scholar for a period of two years.

• Level 3: Similarities above 60% - (i) shall be asked to withdraw manuscript, (ii) shall be denied a right to two successive annual increments, and (iii) shall not be allowed to be a supervisor to any new Master’s, M.Phil, Ph.D student/scholar for a period of three consecutive years.

However, the similarity checks that are excluded from plagiarism as per UGC (Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2018 are as follows:

• All quoted work reproduced with all necessary permission and/or attribution

•  All references, bibliography, table of content, preface and acknowledgements

• All generic terms, laws, standard symbols and standard equations

SELF CHECK EXERCISES

1.     Identify the penalty in case of plagiarism at ‘Level 2’ in Theses and Dissertation Submission as per UGC (Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention o Plagiarism in Higher Education Institutions) Regulation, 2018:

A.     No Penalty

B.     Such student shall be asked to submit a revised manuscript within 6 months

C.     Such student shall be debarred from submitting a revised manuscript for a period of one year

D.     Such student registration for the programme shall be cancelled

2.     Who among the following can be the chairman of the Institutional Academic Integrity Panel (IAIP) constituted by the Higher Education Institutions under UGC’s Academic Integrity Regulations?

 a). Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University

 b). Vice-Chancellor of the University

 c). Deans

 d). Senior Academicians of the University

     A.     a and b are correct

     B.     a, c and d are correct

     C.     b, c and d are correct

     D.     All the above

3.   What are the different areas in UGC’s Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2018 where libraries can have very big role?

A.    Clauses, 5,6 and 7

B.    Clauses 5,6 and 8

C.    Clauses 4,5 and 6

D.    Clauses 4,6 and 7

4.    Which of the following institutions drafted the regulations related to Plagiarism in Higher Education Institutions?

A.    NAAC

B.    UGC

C.    AICTE

D.    None of the above