Sambalpur: The Gangadhar Meher university (GMU), Sambalpur started the GM university Research Integrity Panel to curb plagiarism in higher education.

"The GMU is the first university in the state to have a dedicated body to check plagiarism after a UGC notification," deputy registrar Uma Charan Pati said.

It has formalised the rules of plagiarism and formed the panel.

The panel consists of four members with vice-chancellor Atanu Kumar Pati as its chairman, regional director of education Manas Ranjan Pujari as an external member, examination controller Hema Kumar Nayak and Pati as its members.

The HRD ministry will provide anti-plagiarism software Turnitin to the varsity, Pati said.

The panel will constitute departmental research integrity panels to make students aware about plagiarism. It will supervise their thesis.

The panel will check the percentage of plagiarism in every PhD and MPhil thesis, besides project papers submitted by postgraduate students.