Terms and Conditions of ISRO Research grants

1. ISRO reserves the right to revoke in whole or in part the funds approved for a project at any time without assigning any reason.
   
2. Approved funds must be utilized solely for the purpose for which they have been granted unless ISRO agrees other wise. A certificate that the funds have been so used must be produced by the grantee Institution at the end of each year of support.
   
3. Acknowledgement of ISRO support must be made in all reports and publications arising out of an approved project/investigation. The Institution will take prior permission of ISRO before publishing any work based on an ISRO supported project. Such permission will not be unreasonably withheld.
   
4. Two copies of all publications resulting from the research conducted with the aid of the grants should be submitted to ISRO.
   
5. Intellectual Property Rights
   • Any intellectual property rights or such information/knowledge being able to sustain or create or any such right arising out of the projects sponsored by ISRO will be held jointly by the Academic Institution/R & D institution and ISRO as per RESPOND norms.
   • Academic Institute/R & D institution and ISRO shall inform each other before filing for any protection of any Intellectual Property Rights resulting from any of the project sponsored by ISRO.
   • Academic institute/R & D institution and ISRO will ensure appropriate protection of Intellectual Property Rights generated from cooperation, consistent with laws, rules and regulations of India.
   • The expenses for filling the Patent protection in India and abroad shall be borne equally between Institute and ISRO.
   • Any/all financial accruals due to any commercial exploitation, of this patent shall be shared equally between them, on 50:50 basis. However any of the parties is free to utilize the IPR for their own use on non commercial basis.
6. The Principal Investigator is required to submit two copies of yearly reports indicating the progress of the work accomplished. He is also required to submit two copies of a detailed scientific/technical report on the results of the research and development work after the completion of the project. One copy of these reports should be sent to the address to which the proposal was sent and other to the Director, CBPO, ISRO Headquarters. Annual reports should be sent to enable release of funds for the subsequent year. The reports will become the property of ISRO.
7. ISRO may designate scientists/specialists to visit the Institution periodically, for reviewing the progress of work on an ISRO-funded project.
8. An inventory of items purchased from ISRO funds should be sent to ISRO giving the description of the equipment, brief specifications, cost in rupees, date of purchase and name of supplier along with a purchase certificate from the Head of the Institution. All items of equipment and non -consumable items costing more than Rs. 5,000/- remain the property of ISRO and ISRO reserves and right to recall, transfer or dispose them off either during the tenure or on the termination of the project.
9. The accounts of the expenses incurred out of ISRO funds should be properly maintained and should be audited by an approved auditor. The final financial documents comprising of audited accounts statement and fund utilization certificate in duplicate, should be sent to ISRO at the end of each financial year of support. The final financial documents pertaining to the project should be sent to ISRO for every operational year of the project sufficiently in advance to enable the release of funds for the subsequent year. It is the responsibility of the institution to submit the Fund Utilization Certificate (FUC) and Audited Accounts Statement (AAS) to Pay and Accounts Officer (PAO),Department of Space at the end of 12 months from the date of drawl of grant(s) from ISRO for Research Projects and at the end of 6 months for Conferences/ Seminars/ Workshops/ Symposium etc. It is mandatory for all institutions drawing grants from Department of Space to submit all financial documents within the stipulated period and any delay in the submission of the financial documents for all grants drawn from Department to Pay and Accounts Officer (PAO), Department of Space will result in delay in release of funds. In such situations, the PI cannot seek extension of project or modification of objectives of the project.
10. The funds for the projects are released on annual basis. Further release of funds for ensuing year will be based on the technical performance of the project and utilization of the funds released for the project during the previous year. Any unspent balance shown in the reporting year, will be adjusted with the funds due for release during the next year.
11. If the total amount sanctioned is not spent during the whole period of support, the remainder amount must be surrendered to the Pay and Accounts Officer, Department of Space, within one month after completion of the project.
12. The Institution cannot divert the grants for a project to another institution if it is not in a position to execute or complete the assignment. In such a case the entire amount of the grant must be immediately refunded to ISRO.
13. A register of assets, permanent and semi-permanent, should be maintained by the Institution and this should be available for scrutiny by ISRO staff.
14. The assets acquired wholly or substantially out of an ISRO grant should not, without prior sanction, be disposed off or transferred to other agencies or utilized for purposes other than that for which the grant is sanctioned.
15. The terms and conditions of ISRO research grants are subject to change from time to time, but the funding of any project till its completion will be governed by the terms and conditions existed on the date of starting of the project, unless mutually agreed to otherwise. The academic institution/PI cannot claim revision of fellowships or any of its elements from a retrospective date.
16. ISRO reserves the right to transfer any approved project(s) from one institution to other institutions in the event of institution’s inability to continue the project , PI leaving the institution etc.