HOW TO BUILD RESEARCH CULTURE IN PAKISTAN?

BY SABAHAT SULTAN*

INTRODUCTION

Pakistan as the developing state, which has many internal and external problems. After 54 years of independence Pakistan is facing different problems like unemployment, fluctuation in state's economic conditions, water and power irises, violence, illiteracy etc. these problems should be solved by exploring new facts and figures and solutions through research. There are some possibilities that research culture get a chance to develop in Pakistani society. There are number of problems that are faced by researchers in Pakistan and the need of the hour is to address and to build a research culture in Pakistan. Most institutions and organizations both governmental and non-governmental in Pakistan offering and conducting research programs in their Masters, Ph.D., M. Phil programs.

Objectives

The objective of my paper is to identify, and then give the suggestions for the solution of the problems faced in the field of research and to build a research culture in Pakistan. I have applied scientific approach to reach these solutions.

Questions

The main queries, which I want to highlight, are as under:

1) How to build a research culture in Pakistan?

2) What are the main problems and hurdles while doing research?

3) What are the most appropriate solutions?

Hypothesis

Educational development will develop research culture in Pakistan.

The Problems, Solutions & Suggestions

In my views following are the solutions and suggestions to the problems face by researchers in Pakistan. Before giving the solutions and suggestions it is necessary to identify the problems first. And these will help in promoting and developing the research culture in Pakistan.

Illiteracy & Standard of Education

The major setback that Pakistan forces today is the prevailing illiteracy. 38% of the population is educated in our country. Only 1.8% of GNP was spent on education by our government during 1998-1999. The alleviation of education standard is very crucial in order to give the country high standard researchers.

Suggestions

Thus the most important task for the government should be to take measures to increase the literacy rate. More should be spent on the education, free education should be made common and the standard to government schools should be raised, so that the unfortunate. Poor population, which is unable to, spent on education. Efforts should be made to restructure the primary to higher level education and give emphasis on providing quality education in Pakistan with better facilities and competent teachers. Invest specially on primary because if basis of the students is sound they can achieve more in their later academic and professional career.

Lack of Resources

Another problem that needs to be tackled by the state is the lack of resources like public libraries, internet cafes and internet surfing in institutions for students.

Suggestions

The state should setup some public libraries, Internet cafes and Internet or computer labs for students, which are doing research in their institutions, and at some other public places, where everyone can get the material. Minimum amount of money should be charged while taking memberships. New websites should be designed which are based on libraries local and international both. Free Internet surfing, browsing should be started for students in academic level. Through the above people can easily reach to the resources to develop their research career.

Incooperative Attitude of Government & Financial Problems

Our government and only some organizations and institutions take very few initiatives to promote the research culture or work like KANNUP, NGORs, Universities, PCSIR etc. the government officials are very reluctant in sharing the official records to the researchers. In Pakistan freedom of expression is much less then other countries. Here researchers are restricted or bound to choose some specific topics.

Suggestions

Freedom of expression and information from official records should be given to researchers. State should provide opportunities to the promising students to conduct research on vital issues. Government and NGOs, both should provide a financial umbrella through scholarships to them. Recent rise in Ph.D. allowance from 1500-5000 by the Chief Executive General Pervaiz Musharraf (Pakistan) is the wave of cold air. These acts are encouraging students for building or promoting research culture in Pakistan.

Lack of Job Oriented Programs & Publishing Goods

Most of the researchers are not published by the authorities and are not job-oriented. That's why the interest of the researchers is not developing.

Suggestions

State authorities should start publishing good research papers and give more emphasis to make research as an opportunity to job or employment. This will also build a research culture in Pakistan.

Lack of Proper Training of Research & Professionalism

Another reason of non-development of a research culture in Pakistan is that there only few experts in this field to train or guide students. The demand of professionalism in this field that researcher should justice with their work, it should be original. Beside this their relations to share their material with others also a sign of non-professionalism.

Suggestions

Government should assign good research guides in institutions and in other organizations to guide and train students and if professionalism is adopted by the researchers in Pakistan the research culture will definitely build.

Conclusion And Analysis

The above mentioned solutions and suggestions will help in promoting and building research culture in Pakistan. The society and government should develop a culture of education. If we succeed to do that, the research culture will follow naturally. There is also a need to change the approach to work, which means adoption of a tolerant and relational approach by the scholars and the students who are interested in the field of research to make it their career. In order to achieve this objective, more seminar and literacy programs should be conducted to increase the awareness and vision to our people.

* Student, M.A (Final) Department of International Relations, University of Karachi.

All content (C) Department of International Relations, Karachi University

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