MHRD IPR Chair Series: Information Received from University of Madras
This post provides a factual description about the operation of Ministry of Human Resource Development IPR Chair’s Intellectual Property Education, Research and Public Outreach (IPERPO) scheme in University of Madras. The author has analysed all the data received under various heads such as income, grants from MHRD, planned and non planned expenditure, nature and frequency of programmes organised and the allocation of funds for the same. Throughout the course of observation and presentation of the analysed data, the author seeks to trace the presence of unjustified underutilisation of funds by the aforementioned university as provided by the MHRD during the period of 2001-2014.
Nehaa Chaudhari provided inputs and feedback.
To collect the information for the given study, an RTI application was filed to the University of Madras on 16/02/2015 by the Centre for Internet and Society. The reply to RTI application was received on 19/03/2015. These are the documents received by CIS from University of Madras:
- For RTI Response click here (Univ of Madras – Response to RTI)
- For complete supporting documents click here (Univ of Madras – Response and Report)
Hereinafter, in order to receive any information about University of Madras’ RTI reply, kindly refer to the above mentioned links. Following are the queries mentioned in the RTI application along with their replies.
Reports on the implementation of the IPERPO scheme of the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the implementation of the MHRD IPR Chair funded under the scheme at University of Madras from 2001-2014
Reply: According to the documents available with CIS, University of Madras submitted the implementation documents only for the period of 2010-2012. Documents for the period of 2001-2009 and 2013-2014 are not submitted by the University.
Documents indicating the date on which such an IPR Chair was set up at your institution and a copy of the application made by University of Madras to the MHRD for instituting such an IPR Chair and documents received by University of Madras from the MHRD approving the same
Reply: The IPR Chair in the Department of Legal Studies, University of Madras was established in the year of 2001 and it has been in an active state. The documents received by the University from MHRD are also submitted in the form of Syndicate letters.
Documents detailing the release of grants to the MHRD IPR Chairs under the IPERPO Scheme
Reply: Documents regarding this track are not submitted by the University. On the reply letter the University has mentioned that no such documents are available on records.
Documents relating to receipts of utilisation certificates and audited expenditure statements and matters related to all financial sanctions with regard to funds granted to the MHRD IPR Chair established under the IPERPO scheme at UNIVERSITY OF MADRAS Roorkee
Reply: The University has submitted utilisation certificates only for the 2010-2012. According to the documents available with CIS, utilisation certificates pertaining to other financial years are not submitted by the University.
Documents regarding all matters pertaining to finance and budget related the MHRD IPR Chair under the IPERPOs scheme established at University of Madras
Reply: Documents pertaining to this track are not submitted by the University. In the RTI reply the University has mentioned that no such information is available on records.
Details of the IPR Chair’s salary under the IPERPO Scheme indicating whether this amount is paid over and above the professional’s usual salary
Reply: Documents required under this track are not submitted by the University. The University, in the RTI reply, has mentioned that the information sought is voluminous in nature and as it will amount to drain on resources, the information seeker is advised to fix up a prior appointment with the HOD to pursue the records.
2.0 Comparative Analysis between University Response and the guidelines of MHRD Scheme Document
The Scheme Document of MHRD (http://copyright.gov.in/Documents/scheme.pdf) is a comprehensive document which consists of guidelines regarding Intellectual Property Education, Research and Public Outreach. It talks about a list of objectives, purposes, conditions and eligibility criteria for a University to ensure in order to implement IPERPO in a truest sense. This document provides the procedural as well as qualifying conditions for an Institute to ensure or fulfil before applying for the MHRD grant. Some of these conditions include maintenance of utilization certificates, audit reports, expenditure statements and event information which would be open to access on demand by MDHR or Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
Objectives
According to the documents available with CIS, University of Madras has organised certain activities under the IPR Chair to fulfil the objectives mentioned in the scheme document. As part of IPR Teaching, an elective course on IPR was introduced under the Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS) for the students in the third semester. In order to fulfil the objectives pertaining to promotion of IPR, the University encourages Master of Law students to select IPR related areas for their dissertation. For furthering its commitment towards IPR research, the University organised a two day national seminar on Emerging Trends in Intellectual Property Rights on 13th and 14th October 2011. In addition to this, One day workshop was also organised for the law college teachers from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on 17th March 2012.
Eligibility
University of Madras is recognized by the University Grants Commission. Therefore, it fulfils the eligibility criteria mentioned in the scheme document.
3.0 Financial Analysis
As per the documents available with CIS, financial statements and utilisation certificates is only provided for the period 2010-2012. Therefore, this section would go on to analyse this period only and would not be able to provide information for the period 2001-2009 and 2013-2014.
Financial Year 2010-2011
In this financial year, a total amount of Rs. 30,00,000 was received by the University under the IPERPO scheme out of which a sum of Rs. 1,79,000 was utilized for the purpose for which it was sanctioned.
In this financial year the maximum amount of money was utilised for the salary of the Research officer. As stated earlier, expenditure statement for the costs incurred on other heads are not mentioned by the University.
Financial Year 2011-2012
In this financial year, a total amount of Rs. 30,00,000 was sanctioned to the University by MHRD out of which a sum of Rs. 7,61,614 was utilized for the purpose for which it was granted.
In this financial year also the maximum amount of money was spent on the salary of the Research Officer.
Author
