TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION, PURPOSE AND SCOPE

1. INTRODUCTION

Vel Tech High Tech Dr. Rangarajan Dr. Sakunthala Engineering College adopts this Research Policy to define the governance, ethics, financial support, proposal submission, project execution, awards, incentives, research data management and research facility management framework of the Office of Research and Development.

2. PURPOSE

To promote high-quality, ethical, interdisciplinary and socially relevant research through the Office of Research and Development, VTHT R&D Advisory Board, Department R&D Committees, research support schemes, seed grants, funded projects, collaborations, intellectual property support and research data protection.

3. SCOPE

This policy applies to all researchers of the Institution, including faculty members, staff, research students, research scholars, project staff, visiting academicians, research personnel, principal investigators, co-investigators and collaborators conducting research in the name of the Institution.

OBJECTIVES

4. OBJECTIVES

• Develop and promote a sustainable research culture among all researchers of the Institution.
• Identify challenging research areas and promote interdepartmental and translational R&D activities.
• Establish centres of excellence linked to institutional thrust areas and shared research facilities.
• Support quality publications, funded projects, patents, copyrights, consultancy and collaborations.
• Ensure research integrity, responsible conduct, safety, data protection and ethical compliance.
• Provide transparent financial support for analytical/testing charges, conference presentation, seed grants and research lab visits.
• Recognize and reward outstanding research contributions through awards and incentives.
• Maintain research records, facility records and project records for institutional accountability and audit readiness.

POLICY FRAMEWORK

5. GUIDING PRINCIPLES

1. Research conducted in the name of the Institution shall be of the highest standard.
2. All researchers shall follow the institutional research regulatory framework and code of ethics.
3. Falsification, fabrication and plagiarism are prohibited and shall attract action as per statutory and institutional guidelines.
4. Institutional affiliation, acknowledgement, funding support and research contribution shall be disclosed accurately.
5. Research facilities and data shall be used responsibly, safely and with proper approval.
6. Research support shall be provided based on approved procedure, budget availability and competent authority approval.
7. Research outcomes shall promote academic excellence, innovation, societal relevance and institutional visibility.

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.

RESEARCH POLICY — PREAMBLE

1. Preamble

In observance with its commitment, vision and mission, Vel Tech High Tech Dr. Rangarajan Dr. Sakunthala Engineering College expects that research conducted in its name shall be of the highest standard and shall promote interdisciplinary and cutting-edge research activities for solving scientific and social problems.

The Office of Research and Development frames key research policies and procedures applicable to all researchers, including faculty members, staff, research students, research scholars, project staff, visiting academicians and visiting research personnel, unless otherwise stated.

The Institution facilitates and encourages emerging innovations by creating and promoting challenging novel research fields, creating a sustainable and productive research ambience, and motivating staff and students through incentives and in-house seed-grant support.

The prioritized goals of the Institution are to inspire, direct and coordinate R&D accomplishments towards national and international grant write-ups, establishment of unique networks with organisations, institutions and industries, and development of translational and collaborative research.

RESEARCH POLICY — OBJECTIVES

2. Objectives

• To develop, create and promote a sustainable research culture among all researchers of the Institution.
• To identify challenging research areas and promote interdepartmental and translational R&D activities.
• To establish centres of excellence in institutional thrust areas, bringing together people from diverse disciplines and producing competency centres where facilities and resources can be shared.
• To increase institutional visibility by establishing state-of-the-art facilities with innovative thrust areas and maintaining clear administrative policies and practices.
• To inspire faculty and staff through incentives towards research activities.
• To organize workshops, seminars, conferences and training programmes in novel and diverse research fields.

RESEARCH POLICY — OBJECTIVES CONTINUED

2. Objectives Continued

• To warrant quality, integrity and ethics in research accomplishments in accordance with the Code of Practice for Research.
• To facilitate, coordinate and integrate research outputs from departments, assuring needed support to conduct R&D and publish scholarly papers, articles and books.
• To enable exchange of views on recent advancements through leadership talks and annual or periodic compilation of works, abstracts and papers presented by staff and students in national and international events.
• To provide guidelines for technology use in faculty research with proper security and protection of research data.
• To protect innovations and ensure legal benefits to researchers through the IPR Cell.
• To serve as a facilitator for interdisciplinary and integrative research approaches with industry-academia and national-international research networks.
• To provide faculty development allowances, professional guidance, technical support and financial assistance as per approved institutional norms.

COMMITTEES SUPPORTING RESEARCH

3(a). Vel Tech High Tech R&D Advisory Board (VRDAB)

The Vel Tech High Tech R&D Advisory Board is established for advising and overseeing the research activities of the Institution. The Board reports to the Board of Management.

Constitution

• Principal — Chairman, ex-officio member.
• Dean — R&D — Coordinator, ex-officio member.
• One eminent expert from a Government R&D laboratory.
• One eminent expert from an Institute of National Importance or Institute of Eminence.
• One eminent expert from industry.
• Two Heads of Department on rotation basis.

Nomination and Term

• Non-ex-officio members shall be appointed with the approval of the Principal based on recommendations of the Dean — R&D.
• Non-ex-officio members shall serve for up to three years and may be extended up to a maximum of six years, that is two full terms, with approval of the Principal based on Dean — R&D recommendation.

VRDAB — ROLES AND MEETINGS

3(a). VRDAB Roles and Responsibilities

• Develop and enhance the Institution’s research capabilities.
• Formulate, amend and adhere to policies to promote, protect and commercialize the Institution’s intellectual property.
• Develop infrastructure and awareness to improve quality of institutional research.
• Review quarterly research progress reports and offer critical comments and corrective measures.

Frequency of Meeting

The VRDAB shall meet at least once in a semester to review research progress and formalize strategies to enhance research activities.

DEPARTMENT R&D COMMITTEE

3(b). Department Research and Development Committee (DRDC)

Constitution

• Dean — R&D — Chairman, ex-officio member.
• Dean of the respective Department — Coordinator, ex-officio member.
• Heads of Departments under the respective Department, ex-officio members.
• One Professor from each department under the department.
• One Associate Professor or Assistant Professor from each department.

Nomination and Term

• Non-ex-officio members shall be nominated by the respective departments with the approval of the Dean.
• Non-ex-officio DRDC members shall serve for up to two years, extendable to a maximum of two terms, based on recommendation of the Head of the Department and approval of the Dean of the respective Department.

DRDC — ROLES AND MEETINGS

3(b). DRDC Roles and Responsibilities

• Report to the VRDAB.
• Identify departmental research and development priorities and monitor quality and quantity of research outcomes.
• Identify and promote departmental research thrust areas and suggest measures to achieve tangible outcomes.
• Map core and ancillary competencies of individual faculty members.
• Suggest and develop training and upskilling programmes for faculty members.
• Motivate faculty members to generate funds through external grants.
• Identify and foster inter-department collaboration to promote interdisciplinary research.
• Promote strategic and durable partnerships with industries.
• Promote cooperation and collaboration with international experts.
• Oversee adherence to the code of research ethics for responsible research practice.

DRDC — SEED GRANTS AND REPORTING

3(b). DRDC Continued

• Evaluate research seed grant proposals and recommend suitable proposals to the VRDAB for approval.
• Prepare a research budget for the department for each financial year and submit it to the VRDAB for approval.
• Make recommendations to the VRDAB on departmental research promotion and research infrastructure.
• Prepare concise quarterly research progress reports for review by the VRDAB.

Frequency of Meeting

• The DRDC shall meet at least twice in a semester to review research progress made by the department.
• The quorum for DRDC meetings shall be at least 50 percent of the membership of the DRDC.

OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

4. Office of Research and Development

The Office of R&D executes the strategic research plan and research-related activities approved by the VRDAB.

• Supports researchers for smooth conduct of research.
• Serves as first-hand information provider on R&D activities such as funding, publication and patents.
• Facilitates interaction with national and international experts, research funding agencies and development agencies.
• Acts as liaison between the Institution and funding agencies.
• Supports proposal preparation on the administrative side and obtains required institutional documents and endorsement certificates.
• Supports faculty members in patent filing and documentation of IPR generated through institutional research activity.
• Monitors funded projects with respect to purchases, expenses and receipt of funds from funding agencies.

OFFICE OF R&D — FACILITIES AND REVIEW

4. Office of Research and Development Continued

• Facilitates laboratory facilities for ongoing projects based on need and plans future equipment purchases.
• Reviews faculty members’ research performance through the DRDC.
• Maintains research information for publications, patents, funded projects, seed grants, consultancy and collaborations.
• Coordinates with departments for documentation, compliance, research records and research data management.
• Is headed by the Dean and reports to the Principal.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF RESEARCHERS

5. Responsibilities of Researchers

This section covers the roles and responsibilities of institutional researchers involved in research activities. All researchers shall follow the institutional research regulatory framework and the code of ethics in research conduct.

• Develop and establish areas of research in centres of excellence and laboratories under every department.
• Teach and encourage students to take up challenging projects in areas of expertise.
• Faculty members with doctoral degree shall obtain Ph.D. supervisorship where applicable and train students, project fellows and Ph.D. scholars.
• Eligible researchers may avail seed grant support to build basic research infrastructure and establish research laboratories.
• Plan and conduct research experiments, analyse and interpret data, conduct field studies and implement solutions for societal problems.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF RESEARCHERS CONTINUED

5. Responsibilities of Researchers Continued

• Apply for funded research projects from central and state government funding agencies and explore international funding, industry sponsorship and consultancy projects.
• Maintain scientific rigor and integrity and strictly avoid conflict of interest, malpractice, falsification, fabrication and plagiarism.
• Maintain research quality standards and establish MoUs or collaborations with reputed national and international research centres wherever applicable.
• Maintain research project databases, stock registers, equipment registers, consumables records and budget-utilization records.
• Publish research work in peer-reviewed SCI/Scopus indexed journals, file patents and copyrights, and balance academic and research responsibilities.

Annual Research Expectations

• Publish at least two research articles as first author in a peer-reviewed SCI/Scopus indexed journal.
• Present at least one paper in a reputed international conference.
• Submit at least one research proposal in a year.

INTEGRITY AND CODE OF ETHICS

6(a). Principle

Research is a process of exploration leading to new insights, effectively shared. It includes invention and production of ideas, images, performances and artefacts including design, where these lead to new or substantially improved insights.

Research integrity is defined through commitment to honesty, responsibility, authenticity and dissemination.

6(b). Falsification, Fabrication and Plagiarism

• Falsification: Illegitimate alteration of existing data or results, including changing words, ideas or information to change the original meaning.
• Fabrication: Making up or constructing data and presenting it as true.
• Plagiarism: Using words, ideas or information from someone else without proper credit or citation.

GUIDELINES FOR CURBING FFP

6(c). Institutional Guidelines for Curbing FFP

• Students, scholars and faculty members shall submit a signed declaration that they are aware of the FFP policy of the Institution.
• No element of research articles, proposals, thesis or dissertation shall be imitated in any structure.
• The Institution shall provide or prescribe software tools to detect FFP content from already published sources.
• Every researcher shall use plagiarism-checking tools or software before submission of any document for publication, funding or related research activity.

6(d). Violation of Code of Ethics

Action shall be taken against researchers involved in falsification, fabrication or plagiarism as per guidelines or advisories issued by statutory bodies and applicable institutional procedures.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT — ANALYTICAL AND TESTING CHARGES

7(a). Support for Analytical / Testing Charges

The Institution encourages and supports faculty members to undertake research activities. Financial support shall be granted based on Department / Office of R&D budget availability.

• Financial support for analytical and testing charges shall be applicable to the first author of the article only.
• Maximum grant is Rs. 10,000. For impact factor less than 3, reimbursement may be up to Rs. 5,000. For impact factor greater than or equal to 3, reimbursement may be up to Rs. 10,000.
• Invoice for testing or characterization must be obtained in the name of the Institution.
• Article or paper must be published in an SCI indexed journal.
• Testing or characterization results must be reflected in the published article and VTHT funding must be acknowledged.
• Reimbursement request must be submitted by the first author through proper channel to the Office of Dean — R&D with reprint of paper, original invoice, characterization/testing results and proof of impact factor.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT — CONFERENCES

7(b). Presenting Papers in National / International Conferences

• The Institution may offer a grant up to Rs. 25,000 for international conferences held outside India and up to Rs. 10,000 for conferences held within India.
• Research articles presented in conferences should be indexed in SCI / Scopus.
• For international conferences, faculty members are encouraged to apply for travel grants from agencies such as ANRF, DST, SERB, INSA and CSIR.
• If not selected for external travel grant, the faculty member may submit an institutional grant application through the concerned Dean and Head of Department.
• A faculty member shall avail only one travel grant either from a funding agency or from the Institution. Additional grant may be considered only with justification where the external grant is insufficient.
• If institutional travel grant is availed, another grant application shall not be submitted until completion of one year from previous conference in India or two years from previous conference abroad.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT — CONFERENCES CONTINUED

7(b). Conference Grant Conditions Continued

• The faculty member shall be first author or corresponding author of the accepted paper. Co-authors are not eligible for separate grant even if they are from the same Institution.
• In case of publication from the conference, VTHT funding for the research work shall be acknowledged.
• Claim bills and necessary documents shall be submitted within 30 days from the last day of the conference along with the published article.
• At bill closing, the faculty member shall submit a detailed conference report through the respective Dean and Head of Department and deliver a lecture to students on the same topic.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT — SEED GRANT

7(c). Seed Grant

The Seed Grant scheme encourages and supports newly joined and recently completed doctoral faculty members to establish preliminary R&D setup that initiates their research career in the Institution.

• The scheme shall be applicable preferably to faculty members with doctoral degree within two years from date of joining the Institution or within two years from the date of Ph.D. viva voce examination.
• The Institution supports Seed Grant up to Rs. 2 Lakhs.
• The faculty member shall submit a Seed Grant Proposal in the prescribed format to the Office of R&D through the respective Head of Department and Dean of the Department.
• Initial screening shall be done by the Department Review Committee and shortlisted proposals shall be evaluated by DRDC for recommendation.
• Final recommendation shall be approved by the Principal through Dean — R&D.

SEED GRANT EXECUTION

7(c). Seed Grant Execution Conditions

• If accepted in principle, suggestions of DRDC shall be incorporated and the revised proposal submitted to the Office of R&D.
• On receiving the revised proposal, Dean — R&D may recommend release of funds to the Principal.
• Seed fund duration shall be one year from the date of approval by the Principal.
• The grant may be utilized for minor equipment, consumables, travel, testing and contingency.
• Purchase of laptop, PC, printer, publishing research articles and appointment of research assistant are not allowed from Seed Grant.
• The Principal Investigator shall submit quarterly progress reports.
• At completion, the PI shall submit a detailed project report to the Institution.
• The PI is expected to publish at least one research article in an SCI indexed journal and/or submit a research proposal to a funding agency after internal review.
• VTHT Seed Grant funding shall be mandatorily acknowledged in the research work.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT — RESEARCH LAB VISITS

7(d). Visiting Research Labs / Facilities

• Research visits are mainly supported for preliminary discussions towards submission of project proposals.
• The Institution may support faculty members who visit research labs at reputed institutes or laboratories anywhere in India.
• The applicant shall produce approval letter from the host institute or mentor for the research stay.
• Research stay may be permitted for a maximum of two weeks.
• After completion of research visit, if relevant funding schemes are opened, the faculty member shall submit a project proposal based on outcomes of the research visit.
• The applicant shall submit a detailed technical report to the Institution and reflect the results in publication wherever applicable.
• Financial support towards travel and stay shall be decided on a case-to-case basis.

AFFILIATION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

8. Affiliation and Acknowledgement

• All researchers must use the full name of the Institution: Vel Tech High Tech Dr. Rangarajan Dr. Sakunthala Engineering College. Acronyms or short forms shall not be used in formal affiliation.
• Units within affiliation shall be written in hierarchical order from smallest to largest.
• Example: Lab name, Department of Bio-Technology, Vel Tech High Tech Dr. Rangarajan Dr. Sakunthala Engineering College, Chennai – 600 062, India.
• Affiliations are usually in title case. Information shall not be entered in all caps or all lowercase.
• Equal contribution, typically for first author, shall be indicated with a superscript symbol near the authors and clarified on the first page.
• Researchers shall acknowledge funding agencies and/or VTHT wherever applicable.

COLLABORATION AND SAFETY

9. Collaboration

The Institution encourages researchers to take up interdisciplinary research and collaborate with researchers in different groups, departments, institutions and industries across the globe and society for scientific solutions to problems encountered by society.

10. Safety

• Each lab shall be equipped with a fire extinguisher and first aid kit.
• Every lab shall have its own safety protocols in addition to regular safety norms.
• Operating manuals and “Do’s and Don’ts” shall be displayed near instruments and equipment.
• Each faculty member or researcher shall frame safety guidelines and SOPs for respective research labs.
• Every researcher shall ensure appropriate waste disposal methods in respective labs.
• PIs shall obtain safety approvals, Institutional Biosafety Committee approval, Ethics Committee approval and other relevant approvals before initiating work or submitting proposals.

SUBMISSION OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS

11. Submission of Research Proposals

• On identifying a funding call, faculty members/PIs shall approach the Office of R&D at least 10 working days before the deadline with clearance from the Head of the Department as per the prescribed format.
• Faculty members are expected to discuss proposals in the department-level committee for critical review on status and novelty.
• PIs shall verify eligibility under the Call for Proposal before approaching the Office of R&D.
• PIs shall prepare proposals as per the prescribed format indicated in the funding call.
• PIs shall check similarity index of proposals before approaching the Office of R&D.
• Detailed CVs of researchers, overall publication list and area-specific publications shall be submitted to the Office of R&D.
• Office of R&D, on approval of Dean — R&D, shall obtain declarations/certificates required for submission.
• PIs shall obtain quotations for proposed non-recurring and applicable recurring items with at least one-year validity.
• It is the responsibility of the PI to submit the proposal online or offline as required.

EXECUTION OF FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS

12. Execution of Funded Research Projects

On receiving the sanction order from the funding agency, the PI shall forward all sanctioned project details to the Office of R&D. The PI may request allotment or sharing of laboratory facilities through proper channel.

• The Institution shall provide basic infrastructure such as computers, workspace with furnishing and internet facilities for efficient project execution.
• Execution of funded R&D projects shall comply with funding-agency terms, sanction order and institutional procedure.
• No deviation from conditions indicated in the sanction order is permitted without prior written permission from the funding agency.

12(a). Recruitment of Research Staff

• Research staff shall be recruited as per norms of respective funding agencies, such as valid GATE score, CSIR–UGC NET and other National Eligibility Tests where applicable.
• PI shall advertise requirements on institutional website and standard social media with approval of Dean — R&D.
• PI shall submit a list of candidates satisfying norms in 1:3 ratio for interview by the research committee.

RECRUITMENT AND PROCUREMENT FOR FUNDED PROJECTS

12(a). Research Staff Recruitment Continued

• The research committee shall consist of PI, Co-PI, Dean R&D or nominated faculty, and respective Head of Department or nominated faculty.
• The committee shall interview candidates and recommend a suitable candidate to Dean — R&D for necessary approval.
• The selected candidate shall be approved by the Principal.
• Research staff shall abide by institutional rules and procedures and may be encouraged to register for Ph.D. at VTHT.

12(b). Procurement / Purchase Procedure

• PI shall purchase recurring and non-recurring items as per the sanction order. Deviations require written approval of the funding agency.
• PI shall submit written request with quotation and comparative statement from at least three suppliers to the Office of R&D with PI preference.
• Payment terms, taxes, import/custom charges, delivery period, delivery mode and supplier account details shall be clearly mentioned in quotation.
• PI shall negotiate amount as per technical requirements and shall not make purchase commitments during the process.

PROCUREMENT PROCEDURE CONTINUED

12(b). Procurement / Purchase Procedure Continued

• Office of R&D shall complete further procurement as per institutional purchase procedure.
• Any purchase above Rs. 10,000 shall be through Purchase Order process only.
• More than 50 percent advance is generally not permitted unless prior approval is obtained from Dean — R&D.
• PI may raise advance cash approval, if necessary, for contingencies not exceeding Rs. 10,000.
• All payments are expected to be made by account transfer from the Institution directly to the supplier.
• No item shall be procured without prior approval of Dean — R&D.
• Items entering campus shall have delivery challan, original invoice and copy of Purchase Order and shall be verified at the gate.
• Items purchased shall be entered in the respective stock book of the lab/project.
• Purchase Orders and cash advances shall be closed within 15 days from delivery or advance payment respectively.

PROJECT MONITORING AND REPORTS

12(c). Progress Monitoring of Funded Research Projects

• Funded projects, including institutional seed-funded projects, shall be reviewed quarterly throughout the project period to ensure timely completion.
• The PI shall present progress to the DRDC or committee constituted by Dean — R&D on milestones achieved with reference to committed objectives and future work as per PERT/BAR chart.
• Expenses incurred under various heads during the quarter and total expenses shall be clearly indicated during presentation, along with future usage of balance amount.

12(d). Periodic Progress Report, Completion Report and UC/SE

• Each funded project requires progress report, Utilization Certificate and Statement of Expenditure for every financial year or every year from the sanction date.
• PI and Co-PI shall prepare reports in the prescribed format of the funding agency and submit them to Office of R&D for approval.
• Office of R&D shall support preparation of financial reports and verify UC/SE before approval by Dean — R&D.

PROJECT CLOSURE AND PI RESPONSIBILITY

12(d). Completion Report and Closure Continued

• The finance officer shall verify account statements and expenses under various heads for approval by the Head of the Institution.
• The authorized Chartered Accountant empanelled by the Institution shall authenticate financial statements. The PI shall produce all project bills to the CA.
• At project closure, a detailed report shall cover completion of objectives, conclusions, achievements, publications, IPR submissions and significant accomplishments.
• The PI shall ensure completion of technical and financial deliverables, return of unspent amount to funding agency, and adherence to sanctioned grant and duration.
• The PI shall handle all communication with the funding agency.
• If a PI leaves, retires, proceeds on leave or is unavailable, the Co-PI shall assume the powers and responsibilities of the PI.
• If equipment is to be returned to the funding agency after completion, it shall be explicitly stated in the proposal and supported by written communication before project start.
• Copies of project reports and UC/SE shall be submitted to the Office of R&D.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

13(a). Research Awards

The institutional research awards recognize and encourage faculty members for outstanding contribution in publications, funded projects, books and patents. Research awards and incentives shall be distributed every year during Research Day Celebration.

Best Researcher of the Year — Institution

• Granted based on maximum points scored at institution level.
• Includes cash prize of Rs. 25,000, certificate and memento.

Best Researcher of the Year — Department

• Granted based on maximum points scored at department level.
• One award may be given from each department.
• Includes cash prize of Rs. 5,000, certificate and memento.

Emerging Researcher of the Year

• Faculty up to age limit of 35 years may be considered.
• This award shall be at institution level.
• Points shall be calculated for the last three completed calendar years. Once awarded, the faculty member is not eligible for the next two years.

RESEARCH INCENTIVES

13(b). Incentives

• 70 percent weightage is given to PI / first author / first inventor and 30 percent is divided among Co-PIs, co-authors or co-investigators.
• For funded R&D projects, 5 percent of the amount received shall be given as incentive to investigators.

Publication Compliance

PUBLICATION NOTES AND INCENTIVES

Publication Notes

• For Category A: Three publications shall be as first author and one as second author if all are Scopus indexed; or two publications in Scopus indexed as first author and two in SCI indexed with other authors; or one publication as first author and one as second author if both are SCI indexed.
• For Category B: Two publications shall be as first author and one as second author if all are Scopus indexed; or two Scopus indexed as first author and one SCI indexed as second author; or one SCI indexed as first author and one Scopus indexed as second author; or two publications as second author if both are SCI indexed.
• For Category C: Assistant Professor without Ph.D. shall publish minimum two papers per year as first author in journals, conference proceedings or book chapters, all Scopus indexed.

Publication, Patent and Book Incentives

• Faculty are eligible for incentive of Rs. 5,000 for each Scopus publication over and above compliance.
• Faculty are eligible for incentive of Rs. 10,000 for each SCI publication over and above compliance.
• Rs. 10,000 may be given for each patent granted and divided equally among all inventors.
• Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 15,000 may be given for each book publication depending on the reputation of publisher and divided equally among faculty authors.

RESEARCH DATA MANAGEMENT

14. Management of Research Data

• Every researcher shall provide complete information and data related to research carried out with the affiliation of the Institution to the Office of R&D.
• Data obtained from research work shall be kept with backups and protected against piracy or unauthorized use by other sources.
• The R&D Office shall ensure confidentiality and privacy of research data.
• Loss of data during research activity may be retrieved through proper approval from R&D.
• A constant data storage record shall be maintained by R&D for about five years or until completion of the project, whichever is later.

RESEARCH FACILITY MANAGEMENT

15. Management of Research Facility

• Research facilities include hardware and software modules established through internal or external funding irrespective of place of establishment.
• Funding sources may include external agencies, Government schemes, seed money schemes and internal institutional funding.
• Research facility management covers hardware and software available in research park premises, research labs and depositories, including equipment, consumables, software, data, results, reports and documents of completed, abandoned and ongoing research activities.
• Every research facility may be accessed by any researcher working in the Institution with prior permission of the competent authority.
• Faculty members shall maintain research facilities and immediately report non-functioning or malfunctioning equipment, tools or software to the Head, Dean or Office of R&D.
• Every researcher shall maintain stock and inventory of all items in respective laboratories.

ANNEXURE 1 — PROPOSAL INFORMATION SHEET

Annexure 1: Proposal Information Sheet

Documents to be Enclosed

• Detailed CV.
• Scopus Author Profile.
• Similarity Report.
• Certificates from investigators.
• Filled-in endorsement.
• Proposal as per prescribed format.
• Letter from collaborators, if any.
• Cover letter, endorsement letter and certificates/forms, where applicable.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

8. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Principal chairs and guides the institutional R&D governance framework through competent approval mechanisms.
• Dean — R&D coordinates the Office of Research and Development and reports to the Principal.
• VRDAB advises, oversees, reviews and strengthens institutional research capabilities.
• DRDC identifies departmental priorities, monitors research outcomes, reviews seed grants and prepares research budgets and progress reports.
• Office of R&D supports proposal preparation, patent filing, funding-agency liaison, project monitoring, facilities and research records.
• HODs and Deans facilitate departmental research planning, proposal clearance, compliance and documentation.
• Principal Investigators execute sanctioned projects technically and financially as per funding-agency and institutional rules.
• Researchers ensure originality, ethical conduct, affiliation correctness, safety compliance, data protection, publication quality and record maintenance.

IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURE

9. IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURE

1. Identify research area, funding call, collaboration or support requirement.
2. Obtain departmental clearance and approach Office of R&D within prescribed timelines.
3. Complete internal review, plagiarism/similarity check, budget verification and required institutional endorsements.
4. Submit proposals, execute projects, procure items and recruit project staff only through authorized institutional procedures.
5. Maintain stock, financial, technical, safety, publication, data and facility records.
6. Submit quarterly progress, completion report, UC/SE and final project documents wherever applicable.
7. Claim financial support, awards or incentives only with required documents and proper channel approval.
8. Archive research outputs and evidence with the Office of R&D for institutional review, audit and reporting.

RECORDS AND COMPLIANCE

10. RECORDS AND EVIDENCE

• VRDAB and DRDC constitution, minutes and review reports.
• Research proposal files and proposal information sheets.
• Funding agency sanction orders, correspondence and reports.
• Seed grant proposals, approvals, quarterly reports and completion reports.
• Analytical/testing charge invoices and reimbursement records.
• Conference grant applications, claims and conference reports.
• Purchase orders, comparative statements, invoices, delivery challans and stock registers.
• Research staff recruitment advertisements, interview records and approvals.
• Publication, patent, copyright, book and incentive records.
• Research data storage, facility usage and inventory records.
• UC/SE, CA authentication, project closure and unspent balance records.

11. MONITORING INDICATORS

• Number and value of funded research proposals submitted and sanctioned.
• Number of SCI/Scopus publications, patents, books, copyrights and technology outputs.
• Seed grant projects sanctioned, completed and converted into publications/proposals.
• Research awards, incentives and faculty participation in conferences.
• Number of collaborations, MoUs, lab visits and interdisciplinary projects.
• Quarterly progress report compliance and project closure compliance.
• Research facility utilization and equipment/stock record completeness.
• Ethics, plagiarism, safety and data-management compliance.
• Societal problem-solving research outputs and community-relevant initiatives.

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 by the competent authority.

15. REFERENCES

• AICTE Approval Process Handbook and Faculty Norms, as amended from time to time
• UGC, DOTE TN, Anna University and autonomous academic regulations, as applicable
• Institutional Strategic Plan 2025–2030, IQAC procedures and approved committee minutes
• National Education Policy 2020 and institutional HR/Appraisal policies

16. APPROVAL AND SIGNATURES

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