Application Process of Getting SIRO Recognition

3rd September, 2021 - 12:01 pm Categories: Technology 0 Comments

The SIRO (Scientific and Industrial Research Organizations) is a form of recognition given to certain entities by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) with an aim to bring together voluntary organizations operating in a non-commercial sector with a view to promoting their activities in the area of scientific and industrial research, design and development of indigenous technology to achieve technological self-reliance and minimize foreign inputs. The functional SIROs having clearly stated objectives of undertaking scientific research, broad-based  Governing Council, Research Advisory Committee, research personnel, infrastructure facilities for research, well defined, time-bound research programs, and clearly stated objectives of undertaking scientific research are considered eligible for recognition by DSIR

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

To be eligible in getting SIRO recognition, the Entity should be:

Associations: An association will be a society/trust registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, or any such act passed by the State Government. The sole objective of the association should be to undertake scientific and/or industrial research.

R&D Companies: A company that has been incorporated under Section 25 of the old Companies Act, 1956 or Section 8 under the New Companies Act, 2013 and set up for engaging in R&D activities. The sole objective of the company should be to undertake scientific and/or industrial research.

Institutions: Scientific institutions having adequate infrastructural facilities to undertake scientific and/or industrial research and having the undertaking of scientific and/or industrial research as a main object of the institution. Professional bodies having undertaking/promoting the undertaking of scientific and/or industrial research as the main object.

Universities: A university established or incorporated by or under a Central or State Act and includes an institution declared under section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 (3 of 1956) to be a University for the purposes of the Act.

Colleges: A college undertaking scientific research (in the specific disciplines), should be affiliated to a university as above and should not be just a teaching institution. It should have an identifiable research and development center with adequate infrastructure to carry out focused scientific and/or industrial research. To establish this, the college should submit the affiliation letter and a certificate from the Vice-Chancellor of the university to which it is affiliated.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

The Applicants seeking fresh recognition are required to submit an online application through the DSIR website (www.dsir.gov.in) or through the Portal Link. After successful submission of online application, it is required for the Applicant to send one set of hard copies (pdf file generated by the system) signed by the Head/Chairman/Director of the Organization to DSIR along with all relevant enclosures, like:

• A copy of the memorandum & Articles of Association of the company/society or Trust deed etc (in case there are any changes, the same needs to be highlighted)
• Latest annual report of the Entity.
• A note on the R&D activities of the Entity highlighting the ongoing & proposed research activities, details of past achievements/completed research projects.
• A brief write-up on some of the major past achievements, ongoing and future projects.
• Details of scientific personnel working in the R&D unit(s) along with qualifications & designation.
• Details of infrastructure available for research giving the date of installation & value of all major facilities.

CRITERIA FOR RECOGNITION:

• The Entity should be functional, having a broad-based Governing Council/ Management Committee which controls and guide the Institution
• The Entity should have a broad-based Research Advisory Committee (RAC) to include eminent scientists, engineers, and technologists relevant to the discipline of service in which the organization is engaged. RAC would be constituted by the Organisation to oversee and evaluate the research activities.
• The Organisation shall have an identifiable research and development center with adequate Infrastructural facilities and resources for undertaking/promoting, as the case may be, scientific and/or industrial research. There should be clear segregation between the profit and non-profit making entities. They should have full-time research personnel and separate identifiable infrastructural facilities for carrying out R&D work.
• They should have well-defined, time-bound research programs leading to the development of innovative products and/or technology that are documented. While activities relating to training, awarding scholarships, rewarding scientists, organizing symposia, etc. are also generally undertaken by scientific research bodies, they would not by themselves constitute undertaking or promoting the undertaking of scientific research.
• The organization should have clearly stated objectives of undertaking/supporting scientific research. In the case of associations, they should fund research programs and at least provide fellowships to PG/Doctoral students.
• Depending on the area of operation the organizations should have an Ethics committee, Bio-safety committee, or any such regulatory committees/mechanism, need-based.
• The organization should have research publications, collaborations with national & international institutions, wherever necessary.
• Trusts of the nature of a partnership or family concern would not be eligible for approval as a Scientific Research Organisation.
• The Organisation should be non-profit oriented. All amounts received by way of sale of know-how premium and royalty, the fee charged for a research project including testing fee, etc. should be used as reinvestment by the organization for undertaking research.

REQUISITES FOR FILLING UP THE FORM:

• Organization Details: Details like organization name, renewal of recognition, recognition number with its validity have been uploaded through the system, and users are not allowed to change these details.
• Details of Head of Organization
• Address of Registered Office, Head Office / Correspondence Address
• Legal Status of the Organization (whether a Registered Society/Registered Trust/University /Association/ College/Company incorporated u/s 25 of Companies Act, 1956)
• Source of Income of the Organization: Indicate the various sources of income of the organization. For example, grants-in-aid, project fees, donations towards corpus funds, interest on investments, testing fees, training charges, fees for conducting courses, consultancy, royalty charges, etc.
• Provide the list of Donors: Provide the list of donors and the details of donations/grants received (Rs. 5000/- and above) and the specific purpose for giving the donation/grant.
• Foreign Contributions: Provide the details of the foreign contributions received, if any.
• Details of Income and Expenditure, Investment made so far, and so on.

LIST OF PROJECTS CURRENTLY SUPPORTED:

• Directory of Recognized Scientific & Industrial Research Organizations
• Directory of Recognized In-House R&D Units
• Directory of Public Funded Research Institutions
• Patent Acquisition and Collaborative Research and Technology Development (PACE)
• Promoting Innovations in Individuals, Start-ups and MSMEs (PRISM)
• Common Research and Technology Development Hubs (CRTDH) A
• A2K+ Studies
• A2K+ Events
• Technology Development Utilization Programme for Women (TDUPW)
• Technology Development and Demonstration Programme (TDDP)

BENEFITS:

The SIROs recognized by DSIR (other than hospitals) are eligible for customs duty exemption and excise duty waiver on import of equipment/instruments and their spares and consumables; under notification nos. 51/96-Customs dated 23.7.1996 and 10/97-Central Excise dated 1.3.1997 respectively. The recognition would help them to evolve research infrastructure by way of overall administrative support assistance and other assistance as may be necessary for the efficient working of a research-oriented organization.

*Please Note The DSIR may hold discussions with the chief of the R&D unit and executives of the firm, in order to obtain first-hand information on R&D activities of the applicant firms, while the application is being considered. The units may also be visited by a team comprising of representatives of DSIR along with domain experts and based on the discussion notes, visit reports, and the Department’s own evaluation, the final decision on recognition & registration would be taken by DSIR.

Author: Kanika Jain (intern), a student of School of Law, Bennett University, and Sudhanshu Sahoo – Legal Associate at Khurana & Khurana, Advocates and IP Attorneys.  In case of any queries please contact/write back to us at sudhanshu@khuranaandkhurana.com.