Format for Submission of Research Proposal Under

Cognitive Science Research Initiative (CSRI)

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY BHAVAN
NEW DELHI-110016
 SECTION – A
(GENERAL INFORMATION)

1. Project Title :
2. Sub Area:
Anthropology
Artificial Intelligence
Education
Engineering
Linguistics
Neurology
Philosophy
Psychology
Other Interdisciplinary

3. Duration in months :
4. Total cost :
5. Project Category:
Translation Research
Basic Research
Applied Research
Technology Development
Any other
6. Principal Investigator:
Designation :
Department :
Institute Name :
Address :
Telephone :
E-mail :
Date of Birth:
Sex (M/F/Others) :
7. Co-Investigator :
Designation :
Department :
Institute Name :
Address :
Telephone :
E-mail :
Date of Birth :
Sex (M/F/Others) :
 SECTION – B
(TECHNICAL DETAILS)

1. Project Title :
2. Project summary (maximum 500 words):
3. Key words :
4. Introduction (under the following heads):
a. Origin of the proposal
b. Definition of the problem
c. Objective
5. Review and status of Research and Development in the subject:
a. State of art in proposed area/literature review
b. Importance of the proposed project in the context of current status
c. Review of expertise available with proposed investigating group/institution in
the subject of the project
d. Relevant references and Patent details, if any relevant to project
6. Work plan:
a. Methodology
b. Organization of work elements
c. Time schedule of activities giving milestones (also append to bar
diagram)
d. Suggested plan of action for utilization of research outcome expected
from the project

7. Budget Estimates: Summary

n Item BUDGET (in Rupees)
n 1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year Total
A. Recurring n n
n 1.Salaries/wages n n n n
n 2. Consumables n n n n
n 3. Travel n n n n
n 4. Other costs n n n n
B. Equipment n n n n
n Grand Total (A+B) n n n n
a. Budget for Salaries/Wages
Designation &
n Monthly
number of BUDGET (in Rupees)
Emoluments
persons
n n 1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year Total
n n n n
n n n n n n
n Total n n n n n
Justification for the manpower requirement:

b. Budget for Consumable Materials

n BUDGET (in Rupees)
Item 1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year Total
n n n n n
n n n n n
Total n n n n
Justification for costly consumable:

c. Budget for Travel

n BUDGET (in Rupees)
n 1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year Total
Travel (Only inland
n n n n
travel)
Justification for intensive travel, if any:

d. Budget for Other Costs/Contingencies

Other
Sl. No. costs/Contingency BUDGET (in Rupees)
costs
n n 1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year Total
n n n n n
Justification for specific costs under other costs, if any:

e. Budget for Equipment

Generic name of the Spare time for
Sl.
Equipment along with make Imported/Indigenous Estimated Costs other users (in
No.
& model %)
n n n n n
Justification for the proposed equipment:
8. List of facilities being extended by parent institution(s) for the project implementation.

a. Infrastructural Facilities:

Yes/No/ Not required

Sr. No. Infrastructural Facility
Full or sharing basis
1. Workshop Facility n
2. Water & Electricity n
3. Laboratory Space/ Furniture n
4. Power Generator n
5. AC Room or AC n
6. Telecommunication including e-mail & fax n
7. Transportation n
8. Administrative/ Secretarial support n
9. Information facilities like Internet/ Library n
10. Computational facilities n
11. Animal/ Glass House n
12. Any other special facility being provided n

b. Equipment available with the Institute/ Group/ Department/ Other Institutes for the
project:
Remarks including
Equipment available Generic Name of Model, Make & year accessories available
with Equipment of purchase and current usage of
equipment
PI & his group n n n
PI's Department n n n
Other Inst In the
n n n
region

9. Detailed Bio-data of the Investigator(s)/Co-Investigator(s) including -

- Name, Address, Date of Birth, Institution’s Address etc.
Academic Qualifications (University/College from where attained, year of passing, class,
Thesis title etc.)
- Refereed Publications list (Title of paper, authors, Journal details, pages, year, Citations
etc.)
- Patent list, if any
10. Details of Research Projects being implemented/ completed/ submitted by the
Investigator(s)/Co-Investigators including Investigator(s) Name & Institute

Project Title Duration Funding Total Status Output/Outcome

Agency Cost (Completes/
Ongoing/
Submitted)

11. Any other relevant matter.

 Endorsement from the Head of Institution

(To be given on letter head)

Project Title :

1. Certified that the Institute welcomes participation of

Dr_____________________________ as the Principal Investigator and
Dr____________________________ as the Principal Co-Investigator for the project and that
in the unforeseen event of discontinuance by the Principal Investigator, the Principal Co-
Investigator will assume the responsibility of the fruitful completion of the project (with due
information to DST).

2. Certified that the equipment and other basic facilities as enumerated at Point 8 in Section
B and such other administrative facilities as per terms and conditions of the grant, will be
extended to the investigator(s) throughout the duration of the project.

3. Institute assumes to undertake the financial and other management responsibilities of the
project.

Date:

Name and Signature of Head of Institution

Place:
 Certificate from the Investigator
Project Title:

1. I/ We agree to abide by the terms and conditions of the DST research grant.
2. I/ We did not submit the project proposal elsewhere for financial support.
3. I/ We have explored and ensured that equipment and basic facilities (enumerated at
Point 8 in Section B) will actually be available as and when required for the purpose
of the projects. II We shall not request financial support under this project, for
procurement of these items.
4. I/ We undertake that spare time on permanent equipment (listed at Point 7 (e) in
Section B) will be made available to other users.
5. I/We have enclosed the following materials:
Items Number of copies
a) Endorsement from the Head of
One
Institution (on letter head)
b) Certificate from Investigator(s) One

Date: Name and Signature of Principal

Place: Investigator
 FINAL (Approved by Secretary DST)
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
POLICY ON CONFLICT OF INTEREST
FOR REVIEWER & COMMITTEE MEMBER or APPLICANT or DST OFFICER
ASSOCIATED/ DEALING WITH THE SCHEME/ PROGRAM OF DST
Issues of Conflicts of Interest and ethics in scientific research and research management have
assumed greater prominence, given the larger share of Government funding in the country's R & D
scenario. The following policy pertaining to general aspects of Conflicts of Interest and code of
ethics, are objective measures that is intended to protect the integrity of the decision making
processes and minimize biasness. The policy aims to sustain transparency, increase accountability in
funding mechanisms and provide assurance to the general public that processes followed in award of
grants are fair and non-discriminatory. The Policy aims to avoid all forms of bias by following a
system that is fair, transparent and free from all influence/ unprejudiced dealings, prior to, during and
subsequent to the currency of the programme to be entered into with a view to enable public to
abstain from bribing or any corrupt practice in order to secure the award by providing assurance to
them that their competitors will also refrain from bribing and other corrupt practice and the decision
makers will commit to prevent corruption, in any form, by their officials by following transparent
procedures. This will also ensure a global acceptance of the decision making process adopted by
DST.

Definition of Conflict of Interest:

Conflict of Interest means "any interest which could significantly prejudice an individual's objectivity
in the decision making process, thereby creating an unfair competitive advantage for the individual or
to the organization which he/she represents". The Conflict of Interest also encompasses situations
where an individual, in contravention to the accepted norms and ethics, could exploit his/her
obligatory duties for personal benefits.

1. Coverage of the Policy:

a) The provisions of the policy shall be followed by persons applying for and receiving funding
from DST, Reviewers of the proposal and Members of Expert Committees and Programme
Advisory Committees. The provisions of the policy will also be applicable on all individuals
including Officers of DST connected directly or indirectly or through intermediaries and
Committees involved in evaluation of proposals and subsequent decision making process.
b) This policy aims to minimize aspects that may constitute actual Conflict of Interests, apparent
Conflict of Interests and potential Conflict of Interests in the funding mechanisms that are
presently being operated by DST. The policy also aims to cover, although not limited to,
Conflict of interests that are Financial (gains from the outcomes of the proposal or award),
Personal (association of relative / Family members) and Institutional (Colleagues,
Collaborators, Employer, persons associated in a professional career of an individual such as
Ph.D. supervisor etc.)

2. Specifications as to what constitutes Conflict of Interest.

Any of the following specifications (non-exhaustive list) imply Conflict of Interest if,

(i) Due to any reason by which the Reviewer/Committee Member cannot deliver fair
and objective assessment of the proposal.
(ii) The applicant is a directly relative# or family member (including but not limited to
spouse, child, sibling, parent) or personal friend of the individual involved in the
decision making process or alternatively, if any relative of an Officer directly
 involved in any decision making process / has influenced interest/ stake in the
applicant’s form etc.
(iii) The applicant for the grant/award is an employee or employer of an individual
involved in the process as a Reviewer or Committee Member; or if the applicant to
the grant/award has had an employer-employee relationship in the past three years
with that individual.
(iv) The applicant to the grant/award belongs to the same Department as that of the
Reviewer/Committee Member.
(v) The Reviewer/Committee Member is a Head of an Organization from where the
applicant is employed.
(vi) The Reviewer /Committee Member is or was, associated in the professional career of
the applicant (such as Ph.D. supervisor, Mentor, present Collaborator etc.)
(vii) The Reviewer/Committee Member is involved in the preparation of the research
proposal submitted by the applicant.
(viii) The applicant has joint research publications with the Reviewer/Committee Member
in the last three years.
(ix) The applicant/Reviewer/Committee Member, in contravention to the accepted norms
and ethics followed in scientific research has a direct/indirect financial interest in the
outcomes of the proposal.
(x) The Reviewer/Committee Member stands to gain personally should the submitted
proposal be accepted or rejected.

# The Term “Relative” for this purpose would be referred in section 6 of Companies Act ,
1956.

3. Regulation:

The DST shall strive to avoid conflict of interest in its funding mechanisms to the maximum
extent possible. Self-regulatory mode is however recommended for stake holders involved in
scientific research and research management, on issues pertaining to Conflict of Interest and
scientific ethics. Any disclosure pertaining to the same must be made voluntarily by the
applicant/Reviewer/Committee Member.

4. Confidentiality:

The Reviewers and the Members of the Committee shall safeguard the confidentiality of all
discussions and decisions taken during the process and shall refrain from discussing the same
with any applicant or a third party, unless the Committee recommends otherwise and records for
doing so.

5. Code of Conduct

5.1 To be followed by Reviewers/Committee Members:

(a) All reviewers shall submit a conflict of interest statement, declaring the presence or absence
of any form of conflict of interest.
(b) The reviewers shall refrain from evaluating the proposals if the conflict of interest is
established or if it is apparent.
(c) All discussions and decisions pertaining to conflict of interest shall be recorded in the
minutes of the meeting.
(d) The Chairman of the Committee shall decide on all aspects pertaining to conflict of interests.
(e) The Chairman of the Committee shall request that all members disclose if they have any
conflict of interest in the items of the agenda scheduled for discussion.
(f) The Committee Members shall refrain from participating in the decision making process and
leave the room with respect to the specific item where the conflict of interest is established or
is apparent.
(g) If the Chairman himself/herself has conflict of interest, the Committee may choose a
Chairman from among the remaining members, and the decision shall be made in
consultation with Member Secretary of the Committee.
(h) It is expected that a Committee member including the Chair-person will not seek funding
from a Committee in which he/she is a member. If any member applies for grant, such
proposals will be evaluated separately outside the Committee in which he/she is a member.

5.2 To be followed by the Applicant to the Grant/Award:

(a) The applicant must refrain from suggesting referees with potential Conflict of Interest that
may arise due to the factors mentioned in the specifications described above in Point No. 2.
(b) The applicant may mention the names of individuals to whom the submitted proposal should
not be sent for refereeing, clearly indicating the reasons for the same.

5.3 To be followed by the Officers dealing with Programs in DST:

While it is mandatory for the program officers to maintain confidentiality as detailed in point no.
6 above, they should declare, in advance, if they are dealing with grant applications of a relative
or family member (including but not limited to spouse, child, sibling, parent) or thesis/ post-
doctoral mentor or stands to benefit financially if the applicant proposal is funded. In such cases,
DST will allot the grant applications to the other program officer.

6. Sanction for violation

6.1 For a) Reviewers / Committee Members and b) Applicant

Any breach of the code of conduct will invite action as decided by the Committee.

6.2 For Officers dealing with Program in DST

Any breach of the code of conduct will invite action under present provision of CCS (conduct
Rules), 1964.

7. Final Appellate authority:

Secretary, DST shall be the appellate authority in issues pertaining to conflict of interest and
issues concerning the decision making process. The decision of Secretary, DST in these issues
shall be final and binding.

8. Declaration

I have read the above “Policy on Conflict of Interest” of the DST applicable to the
Reviewer/ Committee Member/ Applicant/ DST Scheme or Program Officer # and agree to
abide by provisions thereof.

I hereby declare that I have no conflict of interest of any form pertaining to the proposed grant *
I hereby declare that I have conflict of interest of any form pertaining to the proposed grant *
* & # (Tick whichever is applicable)

Name of the Reviewer/ Committee Member or Applicant or DST Officer

(Strike out whichever is not applicable)

(Signature with date)