POLICY DOCUMENT

Policy on Seed Money for Research

Eligibility

• Any regular faculty of SXC, including those on probation (Faculty on probation may also apply subject to the condition laid by SXC).
• They should have a minimum of TEN years of service left before superannuation.
• The applicants currently should NOT be working on their PhD.
• They should not have an ongoing project under Seed Money.
• The applicants should not have secured a Major Research Project (from any agency) so far (seed money is for beginners).

Duration of the Project

• By applying for seed money, the applicant undertakes to complete the project successfully in time. If for any reason the awardee leaves SXC without completing the project to the satisfaction of the RDC, s/he undertakes to refund the entire amount to SXC along with a penal interest of 10% per annum, besides returning all the books / journals / equipment / purchased glassware out of the project money to SXC.
• The extension of the duration of the project would be permitted only in exceptional circumstances that are beyond the control of the project awardee if applied well in advance with adequate justification for the delay. If the permission for the extension of duration is not obtained / granted, the RDC has the right to terminate the project; in that case, the project-awardee will have to refund the entire amount along with the penal interest of 10% per annum.
• The awardee shall not change either entirely or in part the project / title / objectives once the project is approved. In case the researcher desires any change in the project / title / objectives, s/he shall obtain prior, written permission from RDC.
• If sanctioned, the applicants should carry out the project on their own, and not outsource it or get others to do the research. No student shall be forced to work on the project, even by offering incentives. The major work must be done by the project awardee.
• All research done on the Seed-Money project will be carried out within the SXC premises. The researchers need to obtain prior permission from RDC to work outside the premises
• The proposal should be based on the applicant’s own original ideas.
• While researchers are encouraged to extend the project to their PhD, they are not to make their PhD / a section of it part of the Seed-Money project.
• Since the proposals are sent to external experts, it is important that due care be taken to present them professionally, as serious work of quality and personal commitment.
• It is advisable to show your proposals to our senior researchers and get critical feedback for novelty, quality, relevance, ethical considerations, methodology, outcomes, and impressive and formal style of presentation, before submission.
• The grantees are expected to submit the work-in-progress of their project once every six months, to RDC and present the same at the research colloquium. If RDC is not content with the progress, it may either suggest modifications or may withdraw the project.
• To ensure that the selected projects have a high probability of achieving their goals, the Principal Investigator (PI) must assess all the likely risk factors (i.e., unpredictable events that may prevent data collection or destroy sampling sites, the possibility of non-availability of proposed sample units / critical equipment, delays caused by administrative procedures, delays in procuring equipment, non-cooperation by some individuals / groups for interviews, potential health risks posed by the use of unconventional equipment / sampling techniques, etc.). The PI must also mention an alternative plan of action in each case if any of these risks actually were to occur.
• In all cases, the awardee should abide by the SXC code of ethics for research and publication.
• The overall sequence of the sections to be followed in the file format is as following.