SRINAGAR: By the time medical students in J&K complete their theses, they have presumably diagnosed diseases, prescribed treatments, and memorised the human anatomy down to the last nerve. Yet, when it comes to writing a few heartfelt lines in the acknowledgments section, originality seems to flatline.
A recent study conducted by SKIMS Medical College in Srinagar has uncovered an amusing yet troubling pattern — many medical theses in the region are filled with copy-pasted praise, particularly when it comes to thanking guides and invoking divine blessings.
Take, for instance, the timeless classic: “His able guidance and constant supervision”, which appeared 18 times. Or the melodramatic, “Where I am today is because of you”, which found its way into 15 theses.
A particularly poetic declaration — “The saying ‘I am the slave of the person who has taught me a single word’ depicts the great reality” — was spotted eight times.
And then there’s the divine intervention. One grand statement, thanking the almighty for bestowing “endless opportunities” and “showering mercy,” was repeated 40 times across different papers.
Another variation, praising “Almighty ALLAH, the creator and lord of the whole universe”, appeared in 20 theses. If originality is the soul of research, these acknowledgments suggest it may be in need of urgent resuscitation.
The one area where researchers seemed to find their own words was in thanking their spouses. The phrases “Thank you for your love, blessings, and encouragement” and “Innumerable sacrifices” were among the least plagiarised lines, proving that when it comes to marital diplomacy, sincerity beats Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V.
The study analysed the acknowledgment sections of 63 theses from four institutions — SKIMS Medical College, Govt Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, GMC Jammu, and ASCOMS Jammu — and found that the same phrases were used over and over again, almost as if they were part of an unspoken template.
Dr Shabir Dhar, the study’s lead researcher, has long wondered why India’s international medical research footprint remains small despite the thousands of theses produced each year.
He said a “significant lack of inventiveness and originality” may be to blame. “This lack of originality starts from the acknowledgment section, where after spending three years with our colleagues and teachers, we are not able to frame sentences describing them for what they are,” he said. “We end up copy-pasting material.”
The study raises a thought-provoking question: If future doctors struggle to write a few original lines about the people who helped shape their careers, what does that say about their ability to think independently in their medical research?
Dhar said the problem reflects a broader pattern in the region’s research culture. “I wanted to know if the lack of inventive and original thought affects our interpersonal evaluation. Apparently, it does,” he said.
Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Holi Day wishes, messages and quotes !
