New Delhi: Terming as 'mediocre' research carried out at AIIMS, a high-level committee has suggested setting up of two councils to monitor the progress of research and to forge linkages with industry.

The four-member committee, headed by M S Valiathan, former head of Kerala's Sri Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, has said there is a major flaw in the management of scientific research at AIIMS due to the absence of a Research Council of Peers to monitor the progress at regular intervals.

"There is an immediate need to set-up two Research Councils to review the large number of projects in both clincial and bio-medical at regular intervals," he said.

"The Councils could play an important role in advancing the AIIMS-Industry linkages in Reserach and Development projects," the committee recommended.

"In the absence of a Research Council, the investigators are deprived of a peer review which is indispensable to doing good science, and the institute authorities are also denied access to impartial and competent advice on the quality and significance of ongoing research and on occasion, whether to continue with mediocre projects," said the report, which was submitted to the PMO last month.

"It is important to note that AIIMS spends probably less than Rs 20 lakhs on research from its annual budget and the entire expenditure on research is funded by external funds," it said.

The committee, was set-up in July following the Institute apex body's decision to dismiss AIIMS director P Venugopal, has suggested creation of a new position of Dean Research to coordinate and promote research activities.