DOCUMENT CONTROL AND INDEX

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION, PURPOSE AND SCOPE

1. INTRODUCTION

Vel Tech High Tech Dr.Rangarajan Dr.Sakunthala Engineering College recognises that research is essential to institutional quality, accountability and stakeholder confidence. This policy establishes a structured framework to build a responsible research culture that promotes quality publications, funded projects, innovation, intellectual property, consultancy, collaboration and student research.

2. PURPOSE

To build a responsible research culture that promotes quality publications, funded projects, innovation, intellectual property, consultancy, collaboration and student research.

3. SCOPE

Faculty, students, research scholars, departments, centres, laboratories and external collaborators engaged in research or consultancy.

OBJECTIVES

4. OBJECTIVES

• Increase quality and impact of research outputs.
• Support proposal development and external funding.
• Promote ethical, safe and reproducible research.
• Encourage interdisciplinary, industry-linked and socially relevant work.
• Protect and responsibly commercialize intellectual property.

POLICY FRAMEWORK

5. GUIDING PRINCIPLES

1. Research integrity, originality, transparency and accountability are mandatory.
2. Plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, inappropriate authorship and duplicate publication are prohibited.
3. Human, animal, environmental and safety considerations shall be reviewed where applicable.
4. Institutional affiliation, funding and conflicts of interest shall be disclosed correctly.
5. Research incentives shall reward quality and verified contribution rather than quantity alone.

6. GENERAL POLICY COMMITMENT

The Institution shall implement this policy through approved roles, adequate resources, documented procedures, transparent communication and measurable review. Decisions and exceptions shall be recorded and authorized by the competent authority.

POLICY PROVISIONS

7.1 IMPLEMENTATION REQUIREMENTS

1. The R&D Cell shall publish annual research priorities, targets, funding opportunities and support mechanisms.
2. Research proposals shall undergo internal technical, financial and ethical review before submission where required.
3. Seed money may be awarded through a transparent call, review, sanction, monitoring and closure process.
4. Publications submitted for institutional recognition shall be verified for journal quality, indexing status, authorship and affiliation.
5. Research data, laboratory notebooks, approvals and supporting records shall be securely retained.

POLICY PROVISIONS — CONTINUED

7.2 IMPLEMENTATION REQUIREMENTS

6. Intellectual property shall be disclosed to the Institution before filing, licensing or commercial negotiation.
7. Consultancy assignments shall be approved, costed, contracted and accounted through institutional channels.
8. Student research shall be supervised, assessed and conducted with appropriate safety and ethics guidance.
9. Research misconduct allegations shall be examined confidentially by a competent committee following due process.
10. Annual research performance shall be reviewed using quality, funding, impact, collaboration and translation indicators.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

8. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Principal/R&D leadership approves priorities, schemes and major collaborations.
• R&D Cell coordinates calls, reviews, ethics referrals, records and performance reporting.
• HODs create departmental research plans and monitor progress.
• Principal Investigators manage technical, financial, ethical and reporting obligations.
• Authors and inventors ensure originality, correct attribution and disclosure.

IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURE

9. IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURE

1. Register proposal/publication/IP/consultancy request.
2. Complete internal review and approvals.
3. Submit or execute through authorized institutional channels.
4. Monitor milestones, expenditure, compliance and outputs.
5. Submit completion/utilization and archive evidence.
6. Evaluate outcomes and disseminate approved results.

RECORDS AND COMPLIANCE

10. RECORDS AND EVIDENCE

• Proposal and sanction files
• Ethics/safety approvals
• Publications and indexing verification
• IP disclosures and filing records
• Consultancy agreements, accounts and completion reports

11. MONITORING INDICATORS

• Externally funded project value
• Quality publications and citation/impact indicators
• Patents, copyrights and technology transfer
• Consultancy revenue and industry partnerships
• Student and interdisciplinary research participation

12. CONFIDENTIALITY, RETENTION AND ACCESS

Records shall be accurate, retrievable and protected against unauthorized alteration, disclosure or destruction. Access shall be role-based and limited to legitimate institutional need. Retention and disposal shall follow the approved schedule and applicable requirements.

13. NON-COMPLIANCE

Non-compliance may result in corrective action, withdrawal of access or benefit, recovery of loss, disciplinary action, referral to a statutory body or other proportionate action after due process.

REVIEW AND APPROVAL

14. REVIEW AND AMENDMENT

The policy owner shall review this document at the stated cycle or earlier due to changes in law, regulation, institutional structure, technology, risk, audit findings or stakeholder requirements. Amendments shall take effect only after approval and version control.

15. REFERENCES

• Applicable research ethics, plagiarism, funding-agency and intellectual-property requirements
• Approved institutional research incentive and consultancy rules

16. APPROVAL AND SIGNATURES

This is a controlled institutional document. Printed copies are uncontrolled unless specifically stamped and issued by the authorized office.