Policy

Policy Document on R&D, Incubation and Consultancy

Preamble

The objective of this document is to provide a policy for research, development, incubation and consultancy at CIIRC^®-JIT. CIIRC^®-JIT herewith provides research related policies with a promise to conform to the following tenets concerning research, development, incubation and consultancy (RDIC). It encourages varying points of view, inquiry, thought and expression free of ideology or coercions of any type for the benefit of mankind.

• CIIRC^®-JIT members, engaged in and acting pertaining to RDIC, are open to select their topics/domains, seek financial assistance from genuine sources and be solely responsible for their outcome and conclusions. The details of the same shall be available for scrutiny as and when required.
• CIIRC^®-JIT shall attempt, by all possible means, to provide an atmosphere conducive to undertaking RDIC to all individuals interested and motivated to undertake the same.
• CIIRC^®-JIT shall sensitize all concerned to ensure authorship rights & responsibilities of students, co-investigators and others associated with the concerned research outcome.
• CIIRC^®-JIT shall conduct regular surveys to verify on academic authorship of any publication/patent with regard to the research outcomes.
• CIIRC^®-JIT, as part of its action policies on RDIC, affirms to provide equal employment opportunities to all concerned without bias to an individual regardless of gender, caste, creed, religion and race.
• CIIRC^®-JIT believes in the philosophy of shared ownership of intellect with regard to all scholarly pursuits and strongly advocates the same.

This policy shall apply to all CIIRC^®-JIT members involved in Research, Development, Incubation and Consultancy (RDIC) and is applicable to all research initiatives undertaken at CIIRC^®-JIT. This policy shall be reviewed once every two years by the Research Committee at its annual meeting. Any revision in the policy shall be announced publicly through the Centre’s website and/or other suitable means.

Rights of Faculty Members

• CIIRC^®-JIT faculty members have the right to academic freedom in pursuit of topics of interest to them.
• CIIRC^®-JIT members can engage in and kind of Research, Development and Consultancy activities as long they are within the framework of being labelled ethical.
• CIIRC^®-JIT members can undertake funded projects and present findings of research outcomes through journal publications or at conferences, seminars and workshops.

Responsibilities of Faculty, Research Staff, Students, Postdoctoral Students

Project Proposal Creation and Project Management

• Faculty members as PI/Co-PI need to route the project/consultancy proposal to the concerned agency duly signed by the Director, CIIRC-JIT.
• The Principal Investigator (PI) shall be responsible for the overall management of the project and recruitment of project staff.
• The PI is responsible for certification of salary paid to project staff.

Fiscal Control

• A separate account shall be opened for each project with the PI and Director/Board of Directors being joint signatories to operate the account.
• PI shall maintain separate stock registers for each project funding obtained, with detailed account of all types of expenditure incurred (equipment, consumables of all types, chemicals, glassware, fabrication items, COTS, travel, contingency, etc.).
• Copy of the Utilization certificate and Statement of accounts along with annual progress report and closure report shall be sent to the CIIRC^®-JIT Record Office (RO) in addition to the respective funding agencies duly signed by the AO and external auditor.
• Copy of Tax invoices and all other expenses incurred with respect to the research activity (includes project and consultancy) shall be maintained with the AO and originals with the PI. The same shall be made available as and when required. Accounts of each project shall be duly vetted by the Accounts Officer (AO) and certified by an external auditor.
• Financial misdemeanour by whomsoever of any kind should be brought to the notice of the Director, CIIRC-JIT, immediately; CIIRC^®-JIT shall take proactive steps to curb the same.

Safety

• PI is responsible for ensuring the safety of all team members during the discharge of their duties when undertaking any activity pertaining to the concerned RDIC in the laboratory.

Equipment and Consumable Control

• PI should secure requisite approval for the purchase of capital equipment through the purchase committee constituted by the Director.
• PI is responsible for tagging and inventorization of all equipment.
• A separate register is to be maintained for issue of chemicals and other consumables to all members engaged in RDIC.
• An unserviceable register is to be maintained to account for obsolete and non- repairable equipment. Disposal of such equipment is subject to the discretion of the authorities.

Data Management

• The PI must maintain appropriate records of all research work. Records must include lab diary and any other material in either soft or hard copy format in sufficient detail (for recording purposes) that are essential for the reconstruction and verification of any research outcome. The same shall be maintained for adequate period of time, generally at least for three years subsequent to publication and, in the case of students, at least till award of degree.
• The procedure for recording and protecting must be well documented and communicated to all group members prior to initiation of any research activity.
• The data pertaining to any IPR related protection should be maintained for the requisite period.

Ethics and Protocols

• Principal authors should ensure that Co-Authors have access to the manuscript prior to being submitted for publication and accept to their inclusion as co-authors. (CIIRC^®-JIT suggests the INSA document on Ethics as a model.  For details refer to INSA website).
• All research staff should mandatorily ensure that all necessary approvals and protocols are followed in the use of research involving human and animal subjects (CIIRC^®-JIT follows the GOI document on IAEC: Refer Annexure I and website of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India).

Publications including Technical Reports

• Faculty member/s (including research scholars, post docs, etc.), wanting to undertake publication of their research outcomes, must mandatorily clear the publication/report through the IPR cell of the Centre to check for patentable material and plagiarism.
• Faculty members are strongly encouraged and advocated to publish research findings in journals of repute, both national and international. It is desirable that these journals are indexed in major databases and have an impact factor. Authors of books, book chapters, and monographs too are encouraged to publish through reputed publishers. Recommended Database and Publishing House details are provided in Annexure II.
• As a guideline, it is preferred that the sequence of authors in publications generally be in approximate order of extent of contribution and the final judgement is left to the concerned PI.

Discipline

• Faculty members shall not accept gifts/grants from unknown sources or anonymous donors.
• To reduce the viral growth of publications in journals that do not  have merit,  reporting on not-so-significant research findings and in the rush to dominate or improve one’s CV through extraordinarily large number of publications in short span of time or in the hope of aiming to garner larger research incentive, it is advised that faculty members refrain from doing so and request senior members to counsel junior members and students on the ill effects of the same and ensure to exercise due restraint and discipline.
• Members are required to immediately inform the Centre in case of any impending health hazard, possibility that an act/incident is likely to be made public, indication of likely unethical activity, defacing the reputation of CIIRC-JIT, misappropriation of funds or damage to equipment.

Anti-Bribery

• All staff and students of the Centre must conduct business and other commercial activities, related to academics and research, in an honest way, without using any means of corrupt practices or acts of bribery to obtain an unfair advantage.

Termination/Resignation/Superannuation

• Members on resigning / termination / superannuation reserve the right to take copies of their research outcomes, with the original being retained by CIIRC^®-JIT.
• If a PI resigns and leaves to join a new institution, he may be permitted to transfer the project  to the new institution, subject to obtaining NOC from both institutions and the funding agency. However, CIIRC^®-JIT reserves the right to copies of data to the date of resignation.

Confidentiality and Secrecy

• All members and staff must ensure to maintain confidentiality of all research work carried out at the Centre, including information made available by outside agencies and third party necessary for completion of the research work/program.
• Faculty members shall not assign research topics that could lead to the possibility of it becoming a secret thesis or dissertation on culmination.
• Rights of individuals to privacy shall be the modicum on research necessitating involving human beings, living or otherwise.
• A research topic for award of degree shall be considered as requiring secrecy if the funding agency confirms that the outcome is not freely publishable. In such cases, the final decision with regard to any outcome shall rest with the CIIRC-JIT Research Committee and the concerned funding agency.

IPR

• As per CIIRC-JIT IPR policy, the PI and all other contributors (as decided by PI) shall be inventors with CIIRC^®-JIT/Incubatee being the assignee. Any pecuniary gains arising from either royalty earned from TOT or commercialization of the IPR shall be shared between the inventors, assignee and funding agency as per GOI guidelines. This is applicable only to government funded projects. In case, funding is obtained from private sources, the same shall be discussed and agreed upon mutually acceptable terms.
• PI should review the IPR, authorship, acknowledgements, and report generation with all members working under their direction (Co-Pi, research scholars, students, RAs, PDRAs, etc.) and give due credit to all concerned.

Incubation

• The terms and conditions with respect to incubation is described in Annexure III.

Consultancy

• Terms and conditions with respect to consultancy is described in Annexure IV.

Conflict of Interest

• CIIRC^®-JIT policy with regard to conflict of interest rests on the premise of “trust & faith” and integrity of respective members to disclose any information that could lead to conflict, thereby ensuring that any conflict of interest could be resolved in the most appropriate manner befitting all concerned.

Misconduct

• No faculty member/researcher shall indulge in fabrication/falsification of data in either recording or reporting, resort to plagiarism knowingly or intentionally, and all other such acts normally not conducive of being considered ethical.
• Supervisions leading to the above shall also be construed as acts of misconduct.
• Presenting findings of the outcome of others involved in the research without any contribution to the research outcome shall also be deemed as an act of plagiarism.
• Irrational behaviour to produce large amounts of publications annually to maintain one’s status as  a productive faculty, claiming author credit where not due, marginalizing contributions of co-workers or scholars, and attempting to exclude others from  authorship where due, shall all be considered as acts of misconduct and is strongly  discouraged.
• All individuals are advised to report of any research misconduct to the Director.

Grievance

• Any faculty member/student/PDF feeling aggrieved by either a decision or a perceived violation of any rules & regulations, as per the research policy of CIIRC^®-JIT, has the right to make a representation to the CIIRC^®-JIT Research Committee.

Solace

• CIIRC^®-JIT, upon receipt of any allegation relating to any of the above, shall constitute a Committee duly appointed by the Director to inquire into the same and present the findings to CIIRC^®-JIT authorities within 30 days for necessary action.

Retirement

• Every research/teaching and non-teaching staff of CIIRC^®-JIT shall retire from service on completion of  65 years of age respectively. The management may re-employ a retired employee who is medically fit and whose services are considered essential to the Centre on fixed term contract on a consolidated salary basis.

Research Incentives

• To promote and encourage high quality research, incentives in different modes may be proposed by CIIRC-JIT annually. Research outcomes in publications indexed in major databases with high impact factor, book chapters, books, and monographs from prominent publishing houses only shall be considered. Members eligible for the same shall be intimated by the CIIRC^®-JIT Research Committee. (Refer Annexure I)

Conferences/Workshops/Seminars/Exhibitions (Organizing)

CIIRC-JIT members are encouraged to seek support from funding agencies to organize conferences/seminars/workshops. The Centre, depending on the activity, shall provide limited support for organizing the same; proposals for the same shall be routed through the Research Committee.

• The above principles ascribe to the Centre’s policy on research. However, individual members are equally responsible and accountable to the fair follow and conduct of RDIC alongside all of their colleagues who may be directly or indirectly involved, receipt of funding from various sources, research outcomes and their target applications that are well established with their conscience of being ethical in all possible means.

 Annexure I

• For experiments involving animals, the formation of an Institutional Animal Ethics Committee (IAEC) is a mandatory requirement under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960, of the Govt. of India. The Central Govt. has constituted a Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA) which is the main regulating body for monitoring experiments involving animals. Institutes interested in research involving the use of experimental animals or creation of an animal house facility have to strictly follow the guidelines given by CPCSEA. CPCSEA is empowered to constitute a subcommittee IAEC, on the institution’s request, with the following composition:

1. 1. A biological scientist
   2. Two scientists from different biological disciplines
   3. A veterinarian involved in the care of animals
   4. Scientist-in-charge of the animal house facility of the concerned institute
   5. A scientist from outside the institute
   6. A non-scientific, socially aware member
   7. A nominee of CPCSEA

• The Chairperson of this Committee and the Member-Secretary would be nominated by the institution from amongst the 8 members. Members 5, 6 and 7 are nominated by CPCSEA, with a provision of a link nominee for CPCSEA nominee.
• The primary duty of IAEC is to review and approve research proposals involving small experimental animals and monitor the research for compliance with all regulatory requirements
• Projects involving large animals have to be referred to CPCSEA for approval.
• Appointment of IAEC members is for a period of 3 years only. A new Committee will have to be constituted after the expiry of the term of the members.
• The guidelines for formation and functioning of IAEC are available on the website of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India.

 Annexure II

 List of Databases

 Option A

Science Direct, Scopus, Scirus, Thomson Reuters, Ebsco, IEEE, IET, Google Scholar, Reed Elsevier (Law), Royal Society of Chemistry, Index Copernicus, Wiley Interscience, Emerald, Sage, Mathscinet

 Option B

SCI, Proquest, Pubmed, Pubchem, Science Accelerator, Journal Seek, Index Copernicus, Econlit (Economics), Eric (Education), Phil Papers, Indian Citation Index (ICI), World Wide Science, Compendex, Merck Index, International Directory of Philosophy

List of Publishing Houses

Wiley, Macmillan, Oxford, Prentice Hall, Cambridge, Harvard, Elsevier, Penguin, Pearson, Academic, Kluwer

 Annexure III

 Incubation

• Both faculty and students are strongly encouraged to incubate companies and become a part of the global and national start up culture as well as Make in India concept.
• Faculty incubates will be required to raise their own capital to fund their start–ups and, in doing so, will be required to adhere to the following:

1. 1. Undertake their regular academic and research responsibilities
   2. Give a specific percentage of stake to the Centre. The same to be worked out on a case-to-case basis.
   3. Arrange to pay salaries of the resources they employ exclusively for the venture.
   4. Support student internship.
   5. Pay for the services of any resource utilized from the Centre. Details will be worked out on a case-to-case basis. This is applicable to faculty.
   6. Student incubatees will be provided with free usage of the facilities/labs for the first two years and shall pay a nominal fee from the third year for usage of any experimental facilities.
   7. Faculty/student incubatees will be supported on campus for a period of two years.
   8. Students who wish to start their own venture will also be required to adhere to the conditions 2 to 4 stated supra.

Annexure IV

Consultancy

Faculty members undertaking any kind of consultancy work shall adhere to the following:

• Undertake their regular academic and research responsibilities
• Agree to share the revenue with the Centre in the ratio to be determined on a case-to-case basis after accounting for all expenses, duties and taxes, as applicable.
• Arrange to pay for any external resources they employ for the consultancy.