Centre to use 'Turnitin' software to curb Ph.D plagiarism

The Union government has decided to take help of 'Turnitin' software to clamp down on the practice of plagiarism in Ph.D theses, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar has said.

He also said that those people whose dissertations have plagiarised content would not get the doctorate degree in the coming days.

"The Central government has taken strong steps to keep a check on such practices of plagiarism in Ph.D research. One person's Ph.D. thesis has been wrongly used by some others to complete their theses. As such cases are on the rise, we have decided to use software such as 'Turnitin' and others to keep a check on such theses," the minister told reporters in Shirdi, located around 240 kms from here, after visiting the famous Saibaba temple last evening.

When asked about the permission for the Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust (SSST) to start a medical college, Javadekar said, "Once the proposal is received, I will speak to the Indian Medical Association and Union health minister for getting permission for the college".

Responding to a query on the less number of allopathy doctors in the system, the minister said the government has started medical colleges across the country.

He said, "the proposed medical college of the SSST will also come up on the donations received from the people's contribution".