lack of co-ordination between authorities of the Delhi University leaves the researchers in a lurch, with accessibility to thousands of e-journals having stopped due to delay in the subscriptions. The worry, for the students and professors, primarily is the “stalemate” over the processing of the files, which contains the recommendation for the e-journals required by the library. Even after Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi directed a committee of three deans to “look in the matter for recommendation”, the picture emerges to be bleak.
While the librarian of varsity’s Central library DV Singh insists on having followed the process — according to the Ordinance 16 — the newly appointed V-C throws the ball in the former’s court saying “subscription would be renewed only after the process is followed”.
“Research is suffering badly in DU...there are around 45,000 e-journals, out of which 8,000 are UGC supported while the rest are funded by the university and even after the long wait for a new V-C, there has been a stalemate in processing the file for release of funds for subscription,” said an professor who is also a research guide in the varsity. The Central library spends around Rs5 crore on the subscriptions every year.
According to the Ordinance 16 of the DU, a review of e-journals is done and the file is sent to the Pro-V-C, a place lying vacant after Sudhish Pachauri who was officiating as the V-C before Tyagi and withdrew soon after the latter’s appointment. In this case, the file is supposed to be passed by Tyagi himself, for a final nod.
Singh said the process was followed and a file was sent, after recommendations to the finance head of the university, who later forwarded it to the V-C. “There was no need for the committee of three deans for the scrutiny while they were already consulted before the file was forwarded. We don’t understand, why is the V-C delaying itIJ” asked one of the DU officials.
On the other hand, Tyagi said, “Each department must specify the journals... this is why the dean from Arts, Science and Social Sciences was asked to make the recommendations. Now, it is up to them, once the process if completed, the work would be done. I expect them to do it without further delay.”
The librarian claims that the file has already been submitted to the registrar. As per the current status of the library is concerned, major data bases are stopped including IEEE required in research relating to any engineering area, American Society of Microbiology, India Stat in statistics, Capital line in Commerce and Economy, Manupatra for law and Scopus which is considered to be the “most important” used for citation and abstracts.