PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Seed Money Scheme (SMS), sponsored by Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, will support different areas of research for principal investigator(s). Seed funding under this scheme is to be used to initiate/continue the research work of the faculties. The objective of the scheme is to accelerate the possibility to receive the financial support from external agencies in future. The applicant must clearly and convincingly demonstrate that the proposed project represents a new research direction in an area likely to generate external funding. Research Project that is already supported by other sources will not be considered for funding.The project under SMS will be considered as Minor Project and relevant API score will be credited as per CAS rule of BIT, Mesra (Clause – 10A).
Preference will be given to proposals that:
* Have a high potential for external funding
* Have significant scientific merit
* Represent a new direction for the PI
* Build or strengthen inter-disciplinary research partnerships
APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY
1. Applicants must be a full time faculty at the Institute or its extension centres.
2. Principal Investigator (PI) must have Ph.D. degree holder and minimum designation will be Assistant Professor.
3. Those who have submitted their Ph.D. thesis will also be eligible as PI.
4. To encourage research, Assistant Professor without Ph.D. degree and Scientific Officer may also apply as Co-PI under seed money scheme.
5. Co-PI(s) satisfying the criteria of PI, can submit a separate proposal as PI under SMS.
6. The age of the PI/Co-PI should not be more than 60 years.
7. At a time, one PI will be eligible for one project under SMS but he/she may be associated with any numbers of project under SMS as Co-PI. Office of the Dean (FA & SR), BIT, Mesra
8. Time gap between two successive Seed Money Grants will be minimum of 5 years. If an application has been turned down by the Seed Grant approval committee, the PI is allowed to submit new proposal.
The SMS will be discontinued in case where the PI will resign or absent for more than 120 days with sanctioned or unsanctioned leave. Prior leaving the Institute, PI has to deliver a formal presentation in the respective department before the committee duly constituted by Dean (FA & SR) regarding the progress of the project and PI need to submit utilization certificate as per format. No dues must be taken from Dean (FA & SR) regarding the project under SMS. In case where Co-PI is applicable, he/she can continue the project as PT with proper approval.
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
The proposal submission will be open throughout the year. The project proposal should bevsubmitted as per format attached herewith (Annexure I). The duration of SMS will be one year only.
PROPOSAL REVIEW
Submitted proposal will be evaluated as per the format enclosed as Annexure II
PROJECT COMPLETION
1. PI must submit a proposal for external funding to the external agencies within the time period of project under SMS.
2. PI will be responsible to submit three copies of project completion report (Annexure III) along with final Utilization Certificate (Annexure IV).
PROJECT EVALUATION
The date of proposal evaluation meeting will be notified by the office of the Dean (FA & SR).
BUDGETS
Awards will be up to Rs. 80,000/- for one year only. Additional grant may be sought with proper justifications at time of the project evaluation meeting.
PIs can purchase any equipment/software by clubbing their grants provided all the associated PIs mention the same in their proposed budgets.
Funding is available for
1. Minor equipment/software/computer accessories related with proposal. Office of the Dean (FA & SR), BIT, Mesra
2. Consumables (Like ICs, application boards, chemicals, testing charges, tools, Dongle etc.)
3. Travel support and registration for attending conference inside India only.
4. Contingencies (books, annual membership fees in technical societies excluding subscription charges, etc)
5. Any other items subject to the prior approval of Dean (FA & SR)
Grant funds cannot be used
1. Travel outside India.
2. Laptop /Desktop
GRANT ADMINISTRATION
The Principal Investigator is responsible for the administration of granted funds. In particular, he/she must be certain that over-expenditures do not occur. Any procurement will be made as per the existing purchase policy of the Institute. Capital equipment purchased from this fund is the property of Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra.
If the work requires more time over initial twelve-month period to complete, the Principal Investigator may request one three-month extension by sending a request to the Dean, SR at least one month prior to the end of the project.
Approval Committee:
The approval committee for the submitted proposal and the evaluation committee of the completed project will be notified by Dean (FA & SR). Office of the Dean (FA & SR), BIT, Mesra
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ANNEXURE - I
FORMAT FOR PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
1. Details of Principal Investigator (Name, Designation, Highest Qualifications, Department,
E-mail, Contact no, Date of Joining):
2. Details of Co-Principal Investigator (Name, Designation, Highest Qualifications ,
Department, E-mail, Contact no, Date of Joining):
Technical details
1. Introduction: (Maximum 1 page)
(Scientific rationale for doing this work should be elaborated)
2. Review of status of Research and Development in the subject
2.1 International Status: (Maximum 1 page)
(Researchers working in the area worldwide and their contributions must be properly highlighted
with recent references and reviews. A correct and faithful description of the international
research status must be given)
2.2 National Status: (Maximum 1 page)
2.3 Importance of the proposed project in the context of current status including scientific objective
(Maximum 1 page)
(Highlight what is the new area or gap which will be solved in the project in relating to what is already
known. This is a very important section to project the novelty content of the proposal)
3. Progress/achievement so far, if any
4. Work Plan:
4.1 Methodology: (Maximum of 2 pages)
(It should contain all the details of how each of the objectives will be addressed. This section
must be detailed and have clear plans, not vague and generalized statements. It should have
several schemes, tables, figures, equations etc. in addition to text, explanation and justification of
why the project research plan will work)
4.2 Time Schedule of activities giving milestones through BAR diagram. (Maximum 1/2
page)
4.3 Expected outcome within the time period of SMS
Office of the Dean (SR), BIT, Mesra
5. Suggested Plan of action stating the name of funding agency where the project will be
communicated for financial support within the time period of project.
6. Bibliography:
7. List of Projects submitted/implemented by the Investigators (Separate for Pi and Co-PI)
7.1 Details of Projects submitted to various funding agencies:
Sl.
No.
Title Cost in lakhs Month of
submission
Role as
PI/ CoPI
Agency Status
7.2 Details of Projects under implementation
Sl.
No.
Title Cost in
lakhs
Duration Role as
7.3 Details of Projects completed during the last 5 years
Sl. No. Title Cost in lakhs Duration Role as PI/
PI/ Co-PI
Agency
Co-PI
Agency
8. List of publications published by the Investigators, if any:
9. Budget*
Sl. No. Head Amount in INR
1 Minor Equipment/software/computer accessories (Generic Name
with minimum required accessories, make & model & cost in
Indian Rupees)(Mention other PI(s) name, Department with whom
joint purchase is proposed)
2 Consumables (Like ICs, application boards, chemicals, testing
charges, tools, Dongle etc.)
3 Travel support and registration for attending conference inside
India only.
4 Contingency
5 Others
Total
Office of the Dean (SR), BIT, Mesra
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* In case of any joint proposal for purchasing a same equipment, associated PI is also
required to give separate budget(without any clubbing) to avoid any ambiguity, if all the
associated projects are not awarded by committee.
8. Name of at least two subject experts from the Institute and one from the outside Institute
with their contact details:
CERTIFICATE FROM THE INVESTIGATOR
Project Title:
It is certified that
1. I do hereby agree to submit a complete proposal for financial support to the external funding
agency within the time period of SMS.
2. I undertake that spare time on equipment procured in the project will be made
available to other users.
3. I agree to submit a certificate from Institutional Biosafety Committee, if the project involves
the utilization of genetically engineered organisms. I also declare that while conducting
experiments, the Biosafety Guidelines of Department of Biotechnology, Department of Health
Research, GOI would be followed in toto.
4. I agree to submit ethical clearance certificate from the concerned ethical committee, if
the project involves field trails/experiments/exchange of specimens, human & animal materials
etc.
5. I agree to abide by the terms and conditions of SMS, BIT, Mesra.
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Name and signature of Principal Investigator Name and signature of Co-Principal
Investigator:
Date:
Place:
Forwarded by Head of the Department
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Signature of the Head
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Office of the Dean (SR), BIT, Mesra
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ANNEXURE - II
PROJECT EVALUATION FORMAT
Recommendation Sheet
Name of the Investigator
Name of the Co-Investigator
Name of the Department
Title of project
Recommendation of the evaluation
committee
(Recommended/Revision/Not
Recommended)
Financial allocation recommended
Sl. No. Head Amount in INR
1 Minor Equipment/software/computer accessories (Generic Name
with minimum required accessories, make & model & cost in
Indian Rupees)
2 Consumables (Like ICs, application boards, chemicals, testing
charges, tools, USV internet device etc.)
3 Travel support and registration for attending conference inside
India only.
4 Contingency
5 Others
Total
Name and Signature of the evaluation committee members with date
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Office of the Dean (SR), BIT, Mesra
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ANNEXURE III
PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT
1 SMS Reference No
2 Title of research project
3 Name of the Principal Investigator
4 Name of the Co-Investigator
5 Name the Department
6 Effective date of starting of the project
7 Grant approved and expenditure incurred during the period of the report
7.1 Total amount approved Rs.
7.2 Total expenditure Rs.
8 Report of the work done: (Please attach a separate sheet)
i. Brief objective of the project:
ii. Work done so far and results achieved and publications, if any,
resulting from the work (Give details of the papers and names of the
journals in which it has been published or accepted for publication or
communicated)
iii. Has the progress been according to original plan of work and
towards achieving the objective if not, state reasons
iv. Has the project been submitted for external funding, if so give
details including status and if not, state reasons
7 Please indicate the difficulties, if any, experienced in implementing
the project during SMS.
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Signature of the Principal Investigator Signature of the Co-Principal
Investigator
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Signature of the Head
Office of the Dean (SR), BIT, Mesra
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ANNEXURE IV
UTILIZATION CERTIFICATE
Certified that the grant of Rs. …………………………….(Rupees
……………………………….. only) received from the Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra
under the Seed Money Scheme entitled ___________________________vide SMS letter No.
…………………………… dated …………………. has been fully utilized for the purpose for
which it was sanctioned and in accordance with the terms and conditions laid down by the BIT,
Mesra.
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Signature of the Principal Investigator Signature of the Co-Principal
Investigator
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Signature of Concerned Officer from A/C section, BIT, Mesra
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Office of the Dean (SR), BIT, Mesra
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