Annexure - III

SAFETY RESEARCH PROGRAMMES

Annexure - III TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF GRANT-IN-AID FOR AERB SPONSORED RESEARCH PROJECTS

1. Sanctioning of Project:

The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board will issue a formal sanction for the entire period of the Project indicating, inter alia, the details of the amount of grant-in-aid for the first year and approximate anticipated amounts for subsequent years. The terms and conditions under which the grant-in-aid would be paid, will be communicated as soon as the recommendations of the Committee for Safety Research Programmes are accepted.

2. Payment of Grant-in-Ald:

2.1 While the Project is generally expected to receive support for about two to three years, the amount will be sanctioned and released only for one year at a time. Grant for the first year will be paid in full to the investigator directly on receipt of the bill in duplicate in relevant Claim Form enclosed with the terms and conditions. The investigator must ensure that this reaches the Member Secretary, Committee for Safety Research Programmes, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Niyamak Bhavan, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai-400 094.

2.2 If the duration of the project is more than two years, the grant from the second year onwards (but not for the last year) will be released after evaluating the renewal application and only after receipt of the bill in duplicate in the prescribed Claim Form along with the statement of accounts signed by the Accountant of the Institution.

2.3 For the final year of the Project, the grant will be released in two instalments. First instalment to the extent of 50% of the grant sanctioned for the year will be released on receipt of the bill in duplicate in relevant Claim Form along with the statement of accounts signed by the Accountant of the Institution. The remaining 50% of grant for the final year will be paid on submission of the final statement of accounts audited by a Chartered Accountant/Statutory Auditor. The final report can be submitted within three months after the completion of the project. It may be noted that it will not be possible for the Board to release funds for the project unless the claims in the prescribed form duly supported by the appropriate documents mentioned above are submitted to the Board.

2.4 Final claim supported by the audited statement of accounts may be submitted along with the consolidated report of the project within three months from the date of termination of the project. If the claims are not received within the stipulated period, it is presumed that the investigator has no further claim. An inventory of equipment referred to in para 6.3 below should also be enclosed.

3. Appointment of Staff:

3.1 The staff sanctioned for AERB Research Project should be appointed on the basis of personal interviews. Selection should be in accordance with the recruitment procedure of the institutions concerned. An appropriate selection committee should be constituted locally for the purpose by the Institution/University. A representative of the Board should be included in the Selection Committee for recruitment of Research Fellow(s) and Research Associate(s). The Member Secretary of the Committee for Safety Research Programmes should be contacted for the nomination of a representative of the Board in the Selection Committee and the Committee meeting should be arranged in consultation with this representative.

3.2 To ensure continuity of work, staff appointed in the project should be required to serve for a minimum period of one year. A copy of the appointment order and joining report of the staff should be sent to the Member Secretary of the Committee.

3.3 Details about the Research Fellowships:

3.3.1 The value of Research Fellowship of the Board is as under:

Category Fellowship Qualification & Experience

Junior Research Fellowship(JRF) Rs. 5,000 p.m.(initial)
Rs. 5,600 p.m. (Third year onwards)
M.Sc./BE/B.Tech./BVSc or BPharm

Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) Rs. 5,600 p.m.(Initial)
Rs. 6,000 p.m. (Third year onwards)
M.Sc./BE/B.Tech/BVSc/BPharm with two years research or MBBS

Research Associate (RA) Rs. 8,000 p.m.
or
Rs. 9,000 p.m. Ph.D. in Science or ME/M.Tech/MVSc/Mpharm/MD

The slab at which the Fellowship for RA is to be fixed may be decided by the appointing authority taking into consideration the qualifications and experience of the candidate. Fresh Ph.D's would normally be paid Rs. 8,000 p.m. which could be increased to Rs. 9,000 p.m. after two years.

Note:

(1) The Associateship will depend upon the assessment of their academic achievements and research capability.
(2)Upward revision of Fellowships and Associateships is undertaken from time to time.

3.3.2 The local institution will review after two years whether JRF/SRF should continue for the third year and a certificate may be sent to AERB to this effect. Similarly, at the end of the third year, the institution should review the cases to decide whether the extension for another year should be given.

3.3.3 Junior Research Fellows, Senior Research Fellows and Research Associates are eligible only for Casual Leave as per the rules of the institution where they are working. However, maternity leave may be given wherever applicable under the normal rules.

3.3.4 House Rent Allowance (HRA) and Medical benefits may be allowed to all categories (JRF, SRF,Research Associates) as per the rules of the institution where they are working. The fellowship amount paid to the fellows should be taken as basic pay for this purpose.

3.3.5. D. A. and C. C. A. : JRFs, SRFs and Research Associates will not be entitled to these allowances.

3.3.6 Bonus and Leave Travel Concession (LTC) not admissible to any category.

3.4 The members of the staff appointed on the research projects are, for all practical purpose, to be treated as employees of and subject to the administrative control of the institution/university where the project is located.

3.5 The staff employed on the research project financed by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board may be encouraged to give lectures and/or courses restricted to not more than two hours duration per week in the Institution where the project is located. Such permission may be granted by the Investigator-in-charge of the project in consultation with the Head of the Institution.

3.6 Staff appointed for AERB research project may be allowed to utilise the contingency grant to meet travel expenses in connection with the work of the projects or for attending symposia etc. at the rates admissible to regular employees of the Institution concerned, subject to the following conditions.

(i)	The journey should have the approval of the Investigator-in-charge.
(ii)	The grant for contingencies could be utilised only for payment of Travelling Allowance and Dearness Allowance to the staff employed on the research project, and
(iii)	The expenditure involved will not result in any excess over the amount provided under sub-head "contingencies" and no additional funds will be provided on this account.

3.7	(i)	The JRF and SRF appointed for the project will not result in any excess over the amount provided under sub-head "contingencies" and no additional funds will be provided on this account.
	(ii)	Persons doing course work may not be appointed in the project as JRF or SRF, except.where the course work is mandatory for obtaining a degree by research.

4. Contingency:

The Contingency Grant could also be utilised for the following:

(i)	To buy any urgently required laboratory items for the project.
(ii)	To meet the travel expenditure of the investigator(s) and staff engaged on the project for attending symposia relevant to the project. This is at the discretion of the Principal Investigator.
(iii)	Towards payment of honorarium for visiting scientists to give lectures which have direct bearing on the project work.
(iv)	Tuition fees, registration fees for Ph.D., apparatus, reprints connected with the work, purchase of stationery and fees for the audit of project accounts upto a maximum of Rs. 200/- per year.
(v)	The investigator-in-charge can utilise the sanctioned Contingency Grant per annum for any purpose indicated in this para without getting the prior approval of the Board subject to the condition that a consolidated account is rendered at the end of the year. The Investigator should inform the Board if he intends to go abroad. He should also indicate the name of the person who will carry on the research programme in his absence.

5. Overheads:

Benefits to Host Institutes :

    Towards meeting their costs for overhead expenses including infrastructural facilities, an amount at the rate of 15% of the estimated project cost excluding contingencies, subject to the ceiling of Rs. 6 lakhs for all educational institutions and Rs. 2 lakhs for all other institutions.

6.       Equipment and Stores:

6.1 All the major items of equipment are indicated in the sanction letter. Only such items of equipment, as have been sanctioned by the Board should be purchased by the Institution out of the grant sanctioned as Equipment Grant. In case any change in the equipment (item or cost) is considered essential, prior approval is required. This should be obtained before the purchase of such equipment by writing to the Member Secretary of the Committee. The Board does not assume financial responsibility for any equipment purchased without their prior approval. In no case should the Institution purchase items like air conditioners, refrigerators,exhaust fans, furniture, typewriters, etc., out of the grant sanctioned for the project.

6.2 All the major equipments purchased against AERB projects will be the property of the Board and is subject to verification.

6.3 The University/institution should maintain a proper and separate stock register of all items of equipment and stores, both capital and consumables purchased out of AERB grant. Equipment purchase should be marked either with a metal disc or painted boldly with the letters AERB. All equipment should be serially numbered. An inventory of equipment and consumables purchased out of AERB grants should be sent to the Board immediately after the close of the financial year in the following proforma to the Member Secretary, Committee for Safety Research Programmes.

AERB inventory No. Date of Purchase Description of the equipment Name of the Supplier Price paid including taxes Remarks if any

A. Capital Equipment

..................................................................................................................................................

B. Consumables

...................................................................................................................................................

6.4 All equipment purchased by the Institution/University for work on the research project remains the property of the Board and is required to be returned to Board after the termination of the Project. The Board may however consider the question of allowing the Institution/University to retain the same on payment of suitable price to be mutually agreed upon. The Board has also the right to transfer the equipment to another project after the termination of the Project or in case of unsatisfactory performance of the Project.

7. Audited Reports by Comptroller and Auditor General of India:

The accounts of the Institution in receipt of grant-in-aid in excess of Rs. 1.00 lakh per annum will be subject to a test check by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India at his discretion.

8. Renewal Application:

The Investigator-in-charge of the Project should submit renewal application on the Project each year. Ten copies of the Report are required to be submitted not later than November 30 to the Member Secretary of the Committee. Application received late is not likely to be considered and this will adversely affect the renewal of the Grant-in-aid.

9. Publication of Papers:

The following procedure has been laid down for the publication of papers on the work done under AERB research programmes.

The researchers are free to publish their findings in journals of their choice. They must send copies of the manuscripts to AERB. AERB's financial support to the project must be acknowledged in the publication. The responsibilities for the contents of the publication is exclusively that of the author/authors.

10. Patent Rights:

All patent rights on design and inventions derived from the research work financed or aided by AERB shall belong to the Government of India or its nominees. The Board may, at its discretion, allow any benefit thereof to be retained by the Inventor or may direct that some benefit thereof be given to the inventor.