Outdated lab equipment, lack of basic needs: ICMR-NITVAR scholars write to govt

Hyderabad: The All-India Research Scholars Association (AIRSA) have flagged the lack of support from the ICMR-run National Institute of Translational Virology and AIDS Research (NITVAR), Pune.

In a letter to the Union secretary of health research and the DG of the Indian Council for Medical Research, they listed their issues caused by procurement delays, continued use of outdated equipment, lack of basic needs and facilities for the researchers and the vindictive action from the NITVAR administration for raising the issues faced by the scholars.

NITVAR is known for its biomedical research and superior testing facilities.

Delayed procurement, lack of facilities and safety concerns

The scholars alleged that the director of ICMR-NIVAR has neither engaged with the scholars nor acknowledged the plea of AIRSA and NITVAR research scholars. The AIRSA urged for a standardised, time-bound system for the procurement of equipment, citing the present delay extending from a few months to a year, considered inefficient and unaccountable.

The organisation also claimed that no new equipment has been purchased since the scientific advisory committee (SAC) in 2020. The process of calibration has not been carried out resulting in poor research quality, they said.

The Biosafety Lab-3 (BSL)—an important facility used for studying infectious agents and toxins that can cause serious and potentially lethal diseases—has remained inoperative for the past 18 months. The letter from AIRSA calls for the intervention of the secretary of the government of India to make it operational.

Renew license to import reagents

Reagents are compounds or mixtures added to a process to start or test a chemical reaction, which is used to determine the presence or absence of specific substances. The reagents are vitally important to carry out the tests and research in NITVAR.

However, AIRSA claimed that the certifications for the import of reagents from the Importer Exporter Code (IEC), Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) have expired, hampering the research activities in the organisation.

Safety concerns and basic needs for research scholars

The lack of maintenance of infrastructure, drinking water facilities, refusal to provide residential quarters, non-disbursal of identity cards and non-availability of official email IDs are the other major concerns raised by the research scholars. The letter also accused the director of resorting to academic retaliation for raising genuine concerns and called for an effective redressal mechanism on the campus.

“The lack of response from the institute’s administration has left scholars feeling unheard and demotivated. An organisation as prestigious as ICMR-NITVAR should foster an environment where researchers can thrive, feel secure and valued as they pursue impactful scientific research,” the letter said.