CIAA probing plagiarism by IOM faculty

KATHMANDU, Oct 4: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has been probing into the cases of plagiarism by teaching faculties in the colleges under the Institute of Medicine (IOM). After Kathmandu University (KU) in November 2017 started action against the doctors who were found involved in plagiarism, IOM under Tribhuvan University (TU) formed a committee to look into the intellectual theft.

“The CIAA has been investigating into the plagiarism charges against our teaching faculties,” said Prof Dr JP Agrawal, dean at IOM. “We formed the probe panel to look into the charges but could not carry out further investigation because of the CIAA intervention,” he added. "Taking action against plagiarists is not an easy task as we have to go through layers of bureaucracy."A research work titled 'A prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in Kathmandu University Hospital, Nepal' authored by doctors Madhukar Aryal, Prabin Gyawali, Nirakar Rajbhandari and Pratibha Aryal is original research, which was published in Biomedical Research in 2010.

It was plagiarized as "A Prevalence of Thyroid Disorder in Western Part of Nepal" authored by doctors Raj Kumar Yadav of Gangalal Medical College, Pokhara, Namrata Thapa Magar of Gandaki Medical College, Pokhara, Bibek Paudel of Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Naval Kishor Yadav of Manipal College of Medical Sciences and Binod Kumar Yadav of IOM, Kathmandu.

Likewise, the research work titled 'Association of thyroid dysfunction among infertile women visiting infertility center of Om Hospital, Kathmandu Nepal' authored by Dr Bhola Rijal, Dr R Shrestha and Dr Bharat Jha was copied and pasted in the work titled "Association of Thyroid Dysfunction Among Infertile Women Visiting Nepalgunj Medical College Hospital, Kohalpur, Nepal" jointly authored by Dr Mukesh Kumar Shrewastawa, Dr C Thanpari, Dr RK Goit, Dr NK Yadav, Dr RK Mittal and Dr V Rohil.Among six researchers, Dr Shrewastawa, Dr Thanpari, Dr Goit, and Dr Mittal are associated with Kathmandu University and Nepalgunj Medical College while Dr Yadav is associated with Kathmandu University and Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara and Dr Rohil was associated as assistant professor with the Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, India.

Similarly, another research on DYSLIPIDEMIA IN TYPE-2 DIABETES MELLITUS PATIENTS IN WESTERN OF NEPAL: A Hospital Based Study was authored by doctors MK Shrewastwa, lecturer at Department of Biochemistry, Kathmandu University, Nepalgunj Medical College, Kohalpur, Nepal; C Thanpari, lecturer at Department of Biochemistry, Kathmandu University, Nepalgunj Medical College, Kohalpur, Nepal; NK Yadav, lecturer at Department of Biochemistry, Kathmandu University, Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal; RK Mittal, professor and head at Department of Biochemistry, Kathmandu University, Nepalgunj Medical College, Kohalpur, Nepal, and V Rohil, assistant professor at Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi, India.

This research paper was totally copied from the work titled "Dyslipidemias in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Nnewi South-East Nigeria" which was published there on the Annals of African Medicine Vol 10, No 4; 2011. The Nigerian research paper was authored by NN Jisieike-Onuigbo of Department of Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, PMB 5025 Nnewi, Nigeria; EI Unuigbe of University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin and CO Oguejiofor of Department of Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, P.M.B 5025 Nnewi, Nigeria.

The teaching faculties associated with Schools of Medicine under both TU and KU were found involved in copying the research papers of others as their own original study papers.According to KU, Shrewastawa, Thanpari, Goit, and Mittal were relieved from the teaching profession in campuses under KU for their crime.