AD-HOC RESEARCH SCHEMES  

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Objective

The Indian Council of Medical Research provides financial assistance to promote biomedical and health research. Proposals in fundamental/ strategic research; development and evaluation of a tool, Clinical and operational research are considered for ICMR support.

 

Who can submit a proposal

The assistance is provided by way of grants to scientists in regular employment in the Universities, medical colleges, postgraduate institutions, recognized research and development laboratories and NGOs.  (Applications from non-governmental agencies should provide documentary evidence of registration, track record etc

 

When and how to submit a proposal

          Proposals are received throughout the year on the prescribed format, which can be obtained on request from the Director-General, ICMR. Forms can also be downloaded from ICMR website 

           Thirty copies of the complete project proposals application along with a copy in electronic mode are to be submitted. All projects involving research on human beings/animals must be cleared by the Human Ethics Committee/ Animal Ethics Committee of the respective institute.

    Download Application Form

Areas of research support

Financial support is provided by the Council in all areas related to health and biomedical sciences. However, following are the priority areas identified by the ICMR.

·         Communicable diseases including viral diseases, cholera and enteric diseases, tuberculosis, leprosy, malaria, filariasis, kala-azar, vector control etc.

·         Reproductive health including fertility control.

·         Maternal & Child Health.

·         Nutritional and major metabolic disorders.

·         Primary health care, alternative health care systems.

·         Non-communicable diseases including cancer, mental health, cardiovascular, neurological, ophthalmic and haematological disorders, oral health, gastroenterology, urology etc.

·         Occupational and other environment related health problems i.e. asthma.

·         Drug research including medicinal plants and indigenous/or traditional systems of medicine.

·         Basic medical research in disciplines such as anatomy, allergy, anthropology, physiology, biochemistry, immunology, cell & molecular biology, genetics, pharmacology, haematology etc.

Note: For latest thrust areas & format/guidelines refer to ICMR website http://www.icmr.nic.in/thrust/thrust.htm  


Components of grant:

Research staff, Equipment, Contingencies, Travel, Overheads

Financial ceiling --- Financial ceiling is up to Rs.30 Lakhs for the total duration of the project.

Items not allowed: Basic infrastructure, building, foreign travel etc.

 

Mechanism of implementation:

(i) Procedure followed in approving a new project

The proposals received as per the prescribed format of ICMR are reviewed by Project Review Committees (PRCs) constituted by the various technical divisions of ICMR for different subject areas. These PRC’s are held generally 3-4 times in a year depending upon the no. of proposals received for evaluation. Most of these projects are also reviewed by subject specialists before being considered by the PRCs.

The criteria adopted by the ICMR in evaluating such project proposals include relevance of the topic to national health priorities and/or possible advancement of knowledge in that particular area and  the Potential Clinical application of the knowledge to be generated,  the scientific merit of the proposal, availability of basic infrastructure in the host Institution; capability of the applicant to undertake the project.  Sometimes the Committee raises some issues / queries for which clarifications / revision of the project is required.   For this the PI has to reply fast as the revised project / clarifications may go through the same process of review as the original project.  The process takes time therefore it may at least  take 4-6 months before one gets a final response.  Final approval is given by DG, ICMR on the recommendation of the PRC’s. The duration of ad-hoc research scheme is usually for 2-3 years. Sanction being accorded initially for 1 year, with annual renewals on the basis of report evaluation by the PRC.

(ii) Project Monitoring Mechanism :

1.  Annual Progress Report

a. The Annual Report is to be submitted annually in the prescribed format.

The first progress report should be submitted about three months prior to the completion of the annual period so as to enable the evaluation and provide the grants within the completion of one year from the starting date. The subsequent annual report will be for the period of one year.

b.      The progress of the project would be evaluated by the ICMR through appropriate peer review/ Project Review Committees.

c.       The project will not be renewed for the next financial year unless the Council receives the progress report and statement of expenditure in time.

d.      A delay in receipt of the report in time for consideration by the committee may lead to termination of the project

e.       The PI may be asked to present the progress at the meeting of the Committee, if considered necessary.

f.        The suggestion and views of the Committee and mid-course correction, if any, would be conveyed to the PI from time to time for effective conduct of the project.  This would be binding on the PI.

Prior permission of the Council shall be obtained if the investigator desires to discontinue the scheme before the expiry of the approved duration and the consolidated report of the work done to be provided to Council for review/acceptance to avoid audit objection.

2.  Final Project Completion Report

a.       At the completion of the project, the final report should be sent in the prescribed format.

b.      The report should be submitted not later than three months from the date of completion of the project.

c.       10% of contingency grant would be withheld for release from the last installment of the budget which would be released after receipt of the final report.

d.      The review of any other new project sent by the same PI for financial support from the Council would depend upon the previous track record in terms of compliance of submission of requisite statement of Accounts and annual / final reports in time

e.       PI shall submit 10 copies of Final Report along with the final audited statement of Accounts.

f.        Action taken on PCR - The final report is reviewed by the PRC. If the report is found satisfactory, an abstract on the work done is published in the ICMR Bulletin.

g.       System of keeping PCR: A few copies are retained by the respective technical divisions of the Council. 

3.      Publication of Results/Presentation of Papers:

The research papers & publications, patent and product development based on the results of the research project should acknowledge assistance by the ICMR along with IRIS ID number. Copies/ reprints of papers published should be sent along with the progress/ final report.

4.      Intellectual Property Rights

All new intellectual property viz., patents, designs etc. generated as part of the research supported by the ICMR would belong to the Council.  The Council shall have the right to take up patent/design in respect of inventions/discoveries made in research schemes financed by the Council.  The project investigators and the staff employed on the project shall not apply or obtain patents without the approval of ICMR.  All patents shall be registered in the name of Indian Council of Medical Research.  The Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Cell can provide all necessary assistance in the IPR related issues including patent applications.

Contact Address
Director General,
Indian Council of Medical Research,
Post Box No. 4911
Ansari Nagar,
New Delhi-110029
Telephone : 91-11-26588895, 91-11-26588980, 91-11-26589794,
                  91-11-26589336, 91-11-26588707
Fax           : 91-11-26588662
Gram        : SCIENTIFIC
E-Mail      : icmrhqds@sansad.nic.in