LAHORE, July 8: A majority of researchers associated with science and technology institutions have been deprived of the research productivity allowance, thanks to the formula devised for the purpose by the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology.

The government had withdrawn in December 2001 the research allowance being paid to researchers since 1983, promising to introduce instead a research productivity allowance. It started paying the new allowance last month but without taking into consideration the flaws inherent in the formula, pointed out even by some PCST members.

Under the formula, a peer review committee evaluates the performance of a researcher for the grant of allowance on the basis of impact factor determined by the number of publications in science journals. The impact factor rating ranged between 0.1 and 35. Only one Pakistani journal is included in the list. It has a 0.2 rating.

The council, which had devised the formula reportedly without consulting even its own members and heads of various state-run research and development institutions, ignored the fact that while the formula worked well for academic researchers, it practically excluded those engaged in applied research.

Findings of applied research may not be published in journals as it is nearly impossible, even for useful industrial research to always have a new academic aspect.

Introduction of impact factor as the yardstick for determining productivity of applied research, is thus causing frustration among researchers.

Only nine researchers associated with the PCSIR Laboratories are getting of the allowance. Four of them are working at Lahore.

PCSIR officials say applied research covers 15-20 per cent of its revenue through fees charged from the industrialists. They say 350-400 research reports on minor projects are submitted every month on an average by the researchers in Lahore.

Sources in the PCST allege that the chairperson does not give due weight to member’s advice. She is also accused of favouritism in the grant of research productivity allowance.