Forensics research needs boost in universities
T. R. Baggi
T. R. Baggi
FORENSIC science is an integral part of
sciences. However, it is facing a serious identity crisis in the
country, because scientific management or laboratory management
principles have never been applied to forensic science laboratories.
There is no awareness at all in the field of science and technology
about forensic studies. The allocation of funds for its growth, both in
universities and forensic science laboratories, is abysmally low,
whereas modern forensics has to work in the frontier areas of science,
using cutting edge technologies, if it has to deliver meaningful
contribution to the criminal justice system.
In
most developed countries, almost all universities have full-fledged
forensic science programmes, starting from undergraduate level to Ph.D.
India has only three universities at Sagar, Patiala and Dharwad that
offer such programmes at their respective departments which are being
funded by the UGC as ‘low-priority’ departments.
The
forensic community in India seems to be totally cut off from the
mainstream of science and technology, both academically and
professionally. Forensic science is a multidisciplinary subject and it
has to draw the knowledge, expertise and inspiration from all pure and
applied sciences to effectively apply to crime prevention and crime
investigation. Forensic science cannot function effectively if it works
in isolation from the scientific culture and work under the umbrella of
police and other law enforcement agencies. It is a curious paradox that
while India has made giant strides in the field of agricultural,
pharmaceutical, nuclear, medical, computer and space sciences, forensic
science has remained static and technologically way behind by couple of
decades when compared to other developed countries.
Also,
there is a misconception that other institutions cannot carry out
research work in forensic science. It is a multidisciplinary endeavour
needing advanced technologies and hence universities and other research
institutions can carry out path-breaking research in forensic science,
as is the case in most of the advanced countries. Leave alone the
advanced innovative forensic research, forensic laboratories are not
even able to adapt to routine analytical methodologies developed abroad
decades ago.
Due to serious
limitations of staff, infrastructure and abnormally large number of
cases, forensic scientists are not able to show their optimal
performance. As a result, performance has plummeted to a level much
below the internationally accepted parameters. Modern forensic science
activity, be it routine work or research, demands resources. If we
expect accurate, meaningful and fast solutions from forensic
laboratories for complex investigations, there are no cheap options. We
have to invest lot of funds for highly qualified, experienced and
competent human resources, and infrastructural facilities like
buildings, instrumentation and library, etc. Forensic science should be
brought under the ambit of mainstream science and technology. Greater
accountability and rigorous monitoring should be there through
appraisals, assessments and expert reviews by multidisciplinary expert
members from different institutions.
While
funds can be made available by the government, human resources
professionals should be recruited from universities who can storm
forensic science laboratories with new ideas and can face the challenges
of new crime scenarios.
In
the present set-up, research in forensic science is almost negligible.
Growth charts of forensic science laboratories, especially concerning
workforce, have been totally static. There are no provisions of infusion
of young blood through the lateral entry system. The funding position
with respect to infrastructural facilities, when compared to
international laboratories, is astoundingly low. Added to the blockade
of human resources and infrastructural development, commensurate to the
needs of forensic work of international standard, forensic laboratories
are fraught with highest level of bureaucracy, blocking the
innovativeness and risk-taking ventures which are so essential for
forensic investigations, research and development.
The
Research Fellowships Scheme of the Department of Forensic Science,
Government of India, has been suspended almost four years ago. The
internship/attachment facilities at CFSLs have been stopped for some
time now. These negative measures are a set back to forensic science
students. Thanks to media hype, which has created a lot of interest
among the youth in recent years, for creating a very high demand for
forensic science courses.
To
foster the growth of forensic science in the country, the government
and scientific institutions in general and universities and forensic
science laboratories in particular should synchronously work by adopting
an integrated approach towards forensic science education, routine
forensic work and research and development. Inter-institutional
collaboration will help promote the growth of forensic science. Whole
forensic science set-up in universities and government laboratories
needs total overhaul at all levels. This can be done by providing
liberal funding to all agencies concerned and improving the availability
of human resources, boosting the infrastructure to an excellent status,
promoting research, integrating forensic science, both in the
professional laboratories and universities, with the main stream science
and technology, and giving complete scientific autonomy free from
bureaucracy and non-interference from the police or administrators.
The
author is former Director, Central Forensic Science Laboratory,
Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, Hyderabad, and currently
is the Academic Coordinator (Forensic Science), Department of Chemistry,
University College of Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad
