Research & Development Project Scheme (2024-25)

1. Introduction

Science & Technology plays a vital role in the development of various sections of society. Well thought out projects and investments in S&T can be of great assistance in raising the level of awareness and standard of living of the masses. They can benefit the people through development of new ideas, materials, machines or processes. They can be of particular assistance to the disadvantaged sections of the society by improvement of the traditional technologies and creating new awareness for employment. The S&T projects can also help in developing technologies, which are more relevant to the needs of the local people and thereby upgrade skills and technology on need basis.

2. Objectives

• To motivate scientists & technologists for applying their expertise to solve the problems of the state.
• To promote research, development and adoption of Science & Technology for improving quality of life of rural population.
• To develop new/improve existing technology to improve the diversity of the local economy, utilization of local resources and to upgrade the skills of artisans in the state.
• To selectively promote the general capability in the relevant areas of science & technology by supporting need based R&D projects.
• To encourage young scientists/inventors for pursuing innovative research ideas which have direct relevance to the development of the State.

3. Operation of The Scheme

Generation of Proposals: A press advertisement will be released for inviting scientists/inventors from academic institutions/private/govt. organizations to submit their project proposals, advertisement will be posted on office website and copy of the advertisement will be circulated to all National Institutions and State Universities of the Haryana.

4. Eligibility

• Project investigator shall be a regular faculty working in the recognized Higher Education Institutions situated in Haryana.
• Project proposals shall be submitted through Head of the Institution.

5. Kind of Projects

• Duration & Outlay: The duration of a project should not exceed 3 years and financial outlay up to maximum of Rs. 50.00 lacs for each project.
• Topics: 

1. The research topic should have immediate socio-economic benefit to the people of Haryana and society at large.
2. Research project proposals should be from the field of Science & Technology.
3. Projects which are problem oriented and have short duration will be preferred.

6. Project Format and Terms & Conditions

The project proposals should be submitted online in the prescribed format and subject to such terms & conditions as given in the guidelines.

Chairman, EC will have the powers to relax the conditions in individual cases.

• Project Appraisal: The Project will be subjected to a preliminary appraisal/screening by screening committee including experts from the reputed national institutions constituted by Secretary, EC. The project appraisal will concern itself with
  1. Duration and budget of the project.
  2. Relevance of the topic of research to Haryana's felt needs.
  3. Conformation of the project proposal to the guidelines, enunciated in the Scheme.
  4. Council's previous experience with the institution submitting the project and general reputation of the institution.
  5. Infrastructure available with the Principal Investigator or his institution.
  6. The Screening Committee including subject experts can interact with the Principal Investigator/sponsoring institutions and suitability of the project for grant-in-aid.

• The new projects under the scheme will be considered by a committee consisting of the Chairman, EC, Secretary, EC subject experts from the research/academic institutions and the expert members of the EC.
• Based on the recommendations of the committee, Principal investigator may be requested to suitably modify the Project.
• The recommendations of the committee will be placed before the Chairman, EC for taking final decision towards funding of project proposal.
• The number of project to be funded will be decided by the Council depending upon the availability of the funds etc.
• Experts will be paid an honorarium of Rs. 2,000/- for evaluating the Project proposal/attending the meeting. If called to Council, they will be paid travelling allowance at rates admissible to officers of Haryana , falling in Grade–I of TA rules.
• The grant for the project will normally be released year wise in one However, more than one instalment may be fixed, if Chairman, EC so decides.
• Continuation of the project beyond first year will be subject to
  • Submissions of half yearly progress reports in the prescribed format on progress made during the year.
  • Submission of expenditure statement and utilization certificate.
  • The P.I. will make the presentation of the yearly progress before the expert committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary, EC. Further grant will be released if the progress at the end of year is found satisfactory.
  • Yearly instalments may be released by Secretary, EC subject to fulfilling the above conditions.

• The project may be terminated mid-way if
  • The progress is unsatisfactory; or
  • The Principal Investigator/Institution indulges in violation of terms conditions of sanction; or
  • The council so decides 

• Criteria for funding R&D projects
  • The R&D projects should be taken up for funding which directly relates to the technological inputs in areas vital to the development of the State and its people.
  • The research topic should have immediate socio-economic benefit to the people of Haryana and society at large.
  • The PI should ensure that there is no duplication of already published work.
  • While submitting the project for funding, the project investigator (P.I) should submit a certificate indicating other agency/agencies from which funding has been sought / received and also state the amount received/to be received/sought. In case I. has already submitted the project to the other agency/agencies for funding then quantum of finance received from other funding agencies should be intimated to the Council. P.I. must also state the position of research activities in that particular area and confirm that there is no duplication in the research efforts sought to be undertaken vis-a-vis other research projects ongoing or completed.
  • Principal Investigator must submit the list of equipments required for the project so that while sanctioning, a conscious decision should be taken regarding assets which will remain with the institutes conducting the research after the project is completed. In this case, the Head of the Institution has to ensure and certify that such equipment shall be open for optimal utilisation to all faculty/ academia of the institute.

7. General Terms and Conditions

Approval of the research proposal and the grant being released is for the specific project sanctioned and should be exclusively spent on this project within the stipulated time. The institute is not permitted to seek or utilise funds from any other organization (Governments, Semi-Government, autonomous or private bodies) for the work that is supported under this scheme.

• The project will become operative with effect from the date on which the grant is received by the institute.
• The institute will maintain separate audited accounts for this project. The institute has to maintain the funds in interest earning account instead of current account or zero interest accounts.
• The institute will furnish to the Council a statement of accounts along with the progress report at the time of seeking further instalment of the grant.
• The institute will furnish to the council, utilization certificate and an audited statement of accounts pertaining to each financial year.
• Any unspent balance out of the amount sanctioned would be surrendered to the Council, carrying forward of unspent funds to the financial year other than permitted for utilization for the same project will require prior approval of the Council.
• 2 copies of the periodic progress report of the work on the project are to be submitted to the Council while seeking further instalments of the Grant.
• 5 copies of a consolidated report on the work done under the project are to be submitted to the Council on completion of the project.
• If project investigator (PI) leaves the institution, the PI shall submit a complete and detailed report of the work done by him on the project till the date of his leaving from the institution where the project is based. In such cases the PI in consultation with the head of the institution shall make alternate arrangement for completion of the project.
• The staffs that may be employed for the project by the institution are not to be treated as employees of the Council and the employment of such staff at the time of completion or termination of the project will not be the responsibility of the Council. They will be subjected to administrative control & service rules as applicable (leave, T.A. etc.) to the institute where the project is based. For the expeditious implementation of the project, the rules governing the institute concerning the process of selection and appointment of the staff and payment to them will apply. In case of any special post rates of pay may be decided by the Council.
• For permanent, semi-permanent assets acquired solely or mainly out of the grant the audited record shall be maintained by the institute. The grant will not be utilized for the construction of any building/structure unless specific provision is made for this purpose.
• The institute is required to send to the Council at the time of seeking further instalments of the grant, a list of assets if any.
• All the assets acquired from the grant will be the property of Council and should not, without the prior sanction of the Council, be disposed off or encumbered or utilized for purpose other than those for which the grant has been sanctioned.
• At the conclusion of the project, the council will be free to sell or otherwise dispose off assets which are the property of council. The institute shall render to council necessary facilities for arranging the sale of these assets. The Council has the discretion to gift the assets to the institute if it considers appropriate.
• Sale proceeds, if any, as a result of the development of the project arising directly from funds granted under the scheme shall be remitted to the The council may at its discretion allow portion of such receipts to be retained by the institute.
• Know-how generated from the project would be the property of the Council and any receipts by way of sale of know-how, royalties etc. shall accrue to the Council. The Council may at its discretion allow a portion of such receipts to be retained by the institute.
• The Council will have the right to call for drawing specification and other data necessary to enable transfer of know-how to other parties. The institute shall supply all the needed information at the request of the Council.
• The institute shall not entrust the implementation of the work for which the grant is being sanctioned to another institution and divert the grant received as assistance to the latter In case the institution fails to complete the project, it will be required to refund forthwith the council the entire amount of grants-in-aid received by it.
• The Council, reserves the right to terminate the grant at any stage if it is convinced that the grant has not been properly utilized or appropriate progress is not being made.
• Appropriate persons may visit the institute periodically for ascertaining the progress of work and resolving any difficulties that might be encountered in the course of the implementation. During the progress of the project the institute will provide all facilities to the scientists/specialists by way of accommodation etc.
• Council at its discretion shall have the right of access to the books and accounts of the institute for the grants received from the council.
• In case of multi-institutional project, the principal Investigator (PI) will obtain the formal agreement from the collaborating institutions.
• International travel will not be permitted under the Project.
• The PI shall not be allowed to change the scope and methodology of the project without prior permission of Council.
• No additional funds or time shall be normally allowed to complete the Such requests shall be considered\only in exceptional cases.
• In case PI does not complete the project to the satisfaction of or abandons the project without any valid reasons, he shall be liable to return the entire amount of the project paid to him towards the project.
• Transfer of project from one person to another person will not be allowed without prior permission of Council.
• Decision of Secretary, EC will be final and binding on all concerned.
• The project work must result in some publications. The research publications must be published in the SCI journals only, each publication must acknowledge HSCSIT, Science and Technology Department, Haryana grant number and reprints of publication must be submitted to Council.

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