Introduction: 

Objectives:

• Enable the beginning of research and related activities for a newly recruited faculty who has significant potential to attract external funding.
• To attract high quality faculty in the present scenario. 

Awards: 

Eligibility:

• Any new faculty of BITS appointed at the level of an Assistant Professor, Grade-I in Academic Level-12
   or above. 
• All faculty members who joined BITS on or after August 1, 2009 at the level of Assistant Professor, Grade-I in Academic Level-12 or above or were promoted as Assistant Professors, Grade-I in Academic Level-12
   on or after August 1, 2009 will be eligible for this grant.
• The initiation grant can also be considered for those recruited in the last three years provided they have not received funding under the new ‘Seed Grant” scheme of BITS. The grant will, however, be contingent upon their performance in the past few months/years, and upon the strength of the proposal. 
• The faculty should commit to do research and to seek external funding for R & D projects. 

Application Process: 

Selection Criteria:

• Research plan should describe research that is sustainable and has potential to attract external funding.
• Itemized budget should be consistent with research plan.

Evaluation Process: 

Guidelines for Expenditure:    

• The funds may be used to purchase specialized research equipment, databases, software and laboratory supplies (chemicals/glasswares/plastiwares), sample collection and analysis.
• The funds may also be used to buy books and subscribe to journals not available at BITS.
• The funds may be used to engage students at all levels on part time basis providing stipend.
• The funds may be used to travel to technical conferences or for travel for the purpose of data collection, meeting or to initiate collaborations. But attending training programme may not be permitted.
• Desktops, laptops, printers and peripherals may not be purchased with this amount.    However, Servers, storage systems, network equipment may be permitted.
• The fund is not to be used for secretarial assistance and any other such expenditure.
• Record of purchase will be maintained by the department

Conditions:

Expected Outcomes:

Introduction:

Objectives

• To aid a faculty to start a research program that has the potential to sustain by attracting funds from external agencies. 
• To test a novel idea and to generate preliminary results before submitting proposals to external agencies. 
• To promote inter-faculty collaboration in emerging areas. 
• To promote generation of IPR and product/process development. 
• To attract and retain talent. 

Awards

• Grants shall be awarded with a maximum value of Rs.20 Lakhs.
• The duration of the Grant will be 2 years. It could be extended by another year after a complete review of the outcomes. 

Eligibility:

• Any faculty member of BITS holding a PhD degree with a proven track record of quality research and employed in BITS for at least one semester. 
• Any group consisting of faculty of BITS and collaborators from other institutes who shall provide an undertaking that they will submit a proposal for an externally funded program with the same proposers during or within 6 months of the completion of the seed funded project. External collaborator cannot be Co-PI in the seed grant. However, where required, letters from such collaborators may be attached in the proposal with commitment (such as facility use) clearly specified. They should also demonstrate that they do not have funding from external agencies for their proposed research.
• Any group comprising BITS faculty, PhD scholars, undergraduates, and post- doctoral fellows belonging to BITS with the principal investigator (PI) being a BITS faculty with PhD. Only BITS faculty can be PI. Participation by students of any category is encouraged but they may be only named as personnel in the project. 
• At any time, a PI can submit only one application. However, he/she can be a co- investigator in more than one proposal.
• The PI at the time of submission of application shall not have a running project funded by the seed-funding scheme in which he or she is the PI.
• However, to encourage younger faculty members, proposal from faculty members having/completed any major project of Rs 10.0 lakhs or more will not be considered.
• Faculty members having Research Initiation Grant are eligible to apply

Application Process:

• The call for proposals may limit research funding to a few strategic areas. 
• Pre-proposals should be submitted for short-listing.  
• The short-listed applicants will be asked to submit a full proposal of maximum 7 pages including figures and references. 
• The full proposals will be reviewed by a selection committee. The PI will be invited to make a presentation before the selection committee. (Refer to evaluation process) 
• Decision on the grant award will be announced. 

Submission:

Selection Criteria:

• Innovative interdisciplinary research
• Team of faculty members whose expertise is complimentary. 
• Promise of sustainable research and development attracting external funds.
• Budget matches the claimed outcomes. 

• Pre-proposals will be evaluated by a rating scheme which considers each of the selection criteria. Additional points will be awarded for the following cases:  
• The proposal is from a new faculty 

• The PIs of the shortlisted pre-proposals will be asked to submit a full proposal.
• The selection committee would comprise a core of three or more internal (or external) faculty members/experts who may seek inputs from internal and/or external reviewers (as required). 
• The full proposal will be rated for intellectual merit and its broader impact. 
• The selection committee may if required, discuss proposals with R&C Division, and may seek further information from the PI before making a final decision. 
• The proposal evaluation will consider the alignment of the budget with the deliverables.

Conditions:

• The decision of the selection committee will be conveyed to the PI who will be the contact person for all administrative matters regarding the project. 
• The PI is responsible for the conduct of the research in accordance with the institute research policy. 
• Procurement, utilization and maintenance of equipment will be as per institute policy 
• The funds have to be utilized within the stipulated period.
• The grant money has to be utilized in accordance with the approved budget.
• The PI should submit a progress report every six months in the prescribed format for evaluation by the committee mandated to monitor individual projects. In case it is found that proper efforts are not being made further release of funding may cease.
• The PI will also be required to report progress or outcomes at the end of one year after the termination of the seed grant, including grants received and publication/IPR arising out of the seed grant. 
• In any research communication arising out of the funded project, the contribution of the institute should be duly acknowledged.  
• In case PI leaves the institute before the completion of project, a co-investigator from BITS will assume responsibility as PI. No collaborator from another institution can become PI under this condition.   

Expected Deliverable:

• Externally funded projects should be generated as outcome of seed grant scheme. 
• Publication in peer-reviewed journals/intellectual property generation including product/ process development would be expected as outcomes of the project. Further, it is understood that any IP emerging out of research funded by BITS will be owned by BITS. Such IPR will recognize contributions by all researchers as "inventors", and any resulting royalties will be shared by BITS with the inventors. 

Eligibility:

Duration of Chair:

Designation:

Research grant and honorarium:

• The research grant, made available at the beginning of the year, may be used for any academic purpose (including hiring of Research students/staff, undertake domestic or international travel by you or your students or your colleagues, or incur expenses towards specialized training in India or abroad, or procure equipment, supplies and books or source support services, or invite your collaborators for short visits to BITS, Pilani etc.) and to draw, at his/her option, an honorarium of Rs. 15,000 per month for the duration that he/she is appointed against the Chair. The faculty so appointed as “XXX Chair” will operate the research grant in a manner similar to the way he/she currently operate a sponsored R&D project. The unutilized funds at the end of the tenure of the appointment against the Chair, if any, shall be ploughed back to the endowment fund. 
• Unless otherwise agreed to in the MoU, or by the Vice Chancellor, the following guidelines will be used to spend the research grant, less any honorarium drawn by him/her: up to 60% for domestic or international travel, upto 25% for training, upto 100% for research students/staff, equipment, books and supplies, upto 25% for support services.
• For each individual Chair the research grant (between Rs. 3 lakhs to Rs. 6 lakhs) will depend upon the earning that accrues from investing the corresponding corpus of the Chair,  or as agreed upon in the MoU that provided for the establishment of the Chair.

Salary and benefits

Teaching/research commitments

Intellectual property rights

Selection Procedures

Guidelines

Grant utilization

Eligibility

Selection criteria

• While there will be no change in his/her responsibilities, it is expected that he/she will make special effort to excel in teaching and research.
• Normally the awards will be decided at the time faculty is selected with a view to attract and incentivize faculty to join BITS.

Introduction

Objectives

• Act as an enabling mechanism to attract motivated and high quality faculty to any of the BITS campuses.
• To provide BITS system with an competitive edge in faculty recruitment related issues.

Eligibility

• Any new faculty of BITS appointed at the level of an Assistant Professor, Grade-I in Academic Level-12 or above, being recruited for any of the campuses of BITS. 
• Guidelines to reimburse relocation expenses by those appointed as Lecturers or as visiting faculty are also included. 
• Theses will be equally applicable to existing BITS faculty who are relocating to other BITS campuses or off campus centers. 

Compensatory Amount

• The reimbursement of any International relocation will normally not exceed Rs. one lakh for reasonable actuals.
• The reimbursement for relocation in India will normally not exceed Rs. 50,000/- for reasonable actuals.
• These norms will also be applicable for relocation of BITS faculty to other BITS campuses or off campus centers. 

Application Process

Evaluation Process

Guidelines for Expenditure

• The funds may be used for transportation charges by AIR/RAIL/CAR/BUS as per eligibility from starting location to the campus of BITS for the faculty member as well as his dependents. International travel will be permitted by economy class only.  Domestic travel will be by AC II Tier Rail as per Institute Rules. Separate approval should be taken for any other mode of transportation.
• The funds may be used to transport personal and household goods.
• In case husband and wife are recruited to the same campus, expenses to relocate household goods from one location only will be entertained and will be subject to limits mentioned above.
• In case faculty at the level of Lecturer or Visiting faculty requires relocation, the maximum limit of expenditure allowable will be half the maximum amount permissible for regular faculty.
• The relocation expenses will have to be paid back to BITS if a faculty resigns before completion of 3 years in service.
• In case of Visiting Faculty the relocation expenses will have to be refunded to BITS on prorate basis in case the faculty member leaves before the term of his/her appointment is over. No refund will need to be made in case he/she completes three years at BITS.
• Faculty from International locations relocating to BITS via domestic (home) visit route may only claim for travel to the respective campuses via the shortest/least expensive route.
• All reimbursements will be done after faculty joins. However, prior approval before finalizing travel plans has to be taken.

Conditions

Introduction

Objectives

• Enable up gradation of computer systems and accessories, and thus enhancing faculty creativity and productivity.
• Enhance faculty morale, to help retain motivated and talented faculty.
• Provide for computers and peripherals for all newly joined faculty.

Theme

Eligibility

• Any faculty of BITS appointed in India at the level of Assistant Professor, Grade-I in Academic Level-12 and above.
• Retroactively applies to existing faculty in BITS at Lecturer level or above who are in the possession of computer systems for five years.
• A newly appointed Lecturer will also be provided similar resources once at the beginning of his/her appointment.   

Process

Introduction

Criteria

• To conduct research in a University, Industry or Government research laboratory in India or abroad which would enhance the reputation of BITS.
• To undertake well-defined work in industrial concerns and technical departments of Governments, either in India or     abroad, to gain practical experience in their respective fields.
• Any other purpose for the academic or related development of the faculty member, as approved by the Vice Chancellor in consultation with concerned campus Director / Dean / Faculty-in charge and Chief People Officer.

Eligibility

• A faculty member is eligible for one-year Sabbatical Leave after the completion of six years of continuous service at Assistant Professor, Grade-I in Academic Level-12 or above, with the Institute, and once every six years of continuous employment thereafter.
• At the time of availing the Sabbatical leave, the faculty member should have at least two years of service before superannuation.
• Service in BITS as a Visiting Faculty or a Visiting Scientist will not be considered for Sabbatical Leave.
• The faculty member should have a satisfactory record of performance in the most recent annual performance review.

Conditions

• The period of Sabbatical Leave may not exceed one year at a time.
• Sabbatical Leave cannot begin or end in the middle of a semester.
• The sabbatical leave can be broken up in two equal halves of 6 months each. However, in such a case the faculty member should be present at BITS for at least 3 years between the two periods.
• One may combine “vacation leave” of up to 2 months with the sabbatical leave.
• During the period of Sabbatical Leave the faculty member is entitled to full salary and allowances admissible under the normal rules but will not be provided traveling allowance or any other allowance in India or abroad. The faculty will receive 50% of the salary during the Sabbatical Leave, while the balance will be paid in 4 equal installments over the next two years together with interest calculated @ 6% per annum.
• The faculty member would be required to specify the purpose of visit and the nature of work proposed, and how the sabbatical work would contribute to his/her professional development and hence benefit the institute.
• A member of the faculty may not undertake any regular appointment with any other organization in India or abroad during the period of Sabbatical Leave. Any financial benefit received from outside the Institute during sabbatical should be disclosed to the Institute by the Faculty, and prior permission should be taken before receiving such amounts.
• The faculty member interested in proceeding on Sabbatical Leave would be required to intimate his/her intentions in writing to the concerned group leader and controlling officer at least one semester in advance.
• The work load of the faculty member on leave will be distributed among the remaining faculty members. However, in exceptional cases temporary substitutes may be employed.
• While recommending sabbatical leave the Group Leader would be required to certify to Dean/Faculty-in-charge that alternative arrangements have been made for sharing of the academic, research and project activities and other Institutional duties and commitments of the faculty member during his/her absence.
• A faculty member having a sponsored research project at BITS for more than two years may normally avail Sabbatical Leave only after completion of the project.
• No more than 10% of faculty (rounded off to the next higher integer) in a Group may be on Sabbatical Leave at a time.
• The Vice chancellor will be the final approving authority based on recommendations from the concerned campus Director / Dean / Faculty-in-charge and the Chief People Officer. 

• He/she avails EOL with a view to enrich his/her background and/or experience that will benefit BITS upon his/her return to BITS,
• EOL will normally be available only after three years of service at BITS,
• The total of such EOL (together with sabbatical leave) is limited to 20% of time spent at BITS,
• One would normally be required to spend 3 years at BITS before he/she can avail similar paid or unpaid leave again.
• The family member of the faculty will normally be provided only minimal access to on-campus medical facility. Medical reimbursement will normally not be available to self and family during this period.
• The faculty member will contribute his/her share of PF as well as that of BITS to his/her PF account.

• the faculty member will be required to pay significantly higher rent for on-campus house if retained during his/her EOL,
• the faculty member will normally have to pay back the amounts received from BITS on account of children’s education, or pay to BITS the equivalent of tuition and other fee waived for education of self, spouse or children at BITS.