Rules
1.The Society shall be called the Indian National Science Academy.
2.The main objectives of the Indian National Science Academy are:
(a) Promotion of scientific knowledge in India including its practical application to problems of national welfare.
(b) Coordination among Scientific Academies, Societies, Institutions, Government Scientific Departments and Services.
(c) To act as a body of scientists of eminence for the promotion and safeguarding of the interests of scientists in India and to present internationally the scientific work done in the country.
(d) To act through properly constituted National Committees, in which other learned academies and societies may be associated, for undertaking scientific work of national and international importance which the Academy may be called upon to perform by the public and by the Government.
(e) To publish such proceedings, journals, memoirs and other publications as may be found desirable.
(f) To promote and maintain liaison between Science and Humanities.
(g) To secure and manage funds and endowments for the promotion of Science.
(h) To perform all other acts that may assist in, or be necessary for the fulfillment of the above mentioned objectives of the Academy.
3.The Academy shall consist of Fellows and Foreign Fellows.
(a) Fellows: those who are elected according to rules of election and admission of Fellows.
(b) Foreign Fellows: those who shall be persons eminent for their knowledge of, or contributions to science, or the welfare thereof, and domiciled outside the territorial limits of India, who have in some way contributed or can contribute to the progress of science in the country. Persons of all countries other than India shall be eligible for the Foreign Fellowship of the Academy.
4.The administration, direction and management of the affairs of the Academy shall be entrusted to a Council composed of the Board of Officers of the Academy, namely, a President and six Vice-Presidents and 20 other Fellows making a total of 27. The Vice-Presidents will have collective as well as independent responsibilities and they will be designated as: Vice-President (Fellowship Affairs); Vice-President (Science Promotion); Vice-President (Resource Management); Vice-President (International Affairs); Vice- President (Publications/Informatics) and Vice-President (Science and Society). In addition, there shall be a provision for Additional Members of the Council, one each to be nominated by the cooperating Academies i.e., the Asiatic Society, Kolkata; the National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad, and the Indian Science Congress Association from amongst the Fellows of the Academy. Further, there shall be a provision for the Government of India to nominate, from amongst the Fellows of the Academy, their representative on the Council as an additional member.
5.No Council member can hold more than one Office at a time except in circumstances relating to interim vacancies stated in rule 28.
6.The election of Fellows shall be governed by Regulations framed by the Council, but these Regulations shall provide for the following points, from which a departure can be made only after reference to all the Fellows of the Academy:
(a) Eligibility for election to the Fellowship shall be restricted to Indian citizens and any foreign scientist holding an OCI/PIO Card and working in India for at least 10 years.
(b) The number of Fellows elected shall be limited to 50 annually, till such time as the total number of living Fellows reaches 1500.
(c) Each nominee shall be proposed, seconded by two Fellows on a form prescribed for the purpose. Of these, at least one shall certify from personal knowledge of his/her scientific attainments. The Vice-President (Fellowship Affairs) shall have the power to sign a certificate on behalf of a Fellow not resident in India on receiving written request from him/her.
(d) The selection from the total list of the nominees proposed to the Academy shall be made by the Council from amongst those recommended by Sectional Committees, following a prescribed set of regulations framed by the Council for this purpose. The election shall be conducted by e-ballot, e-mail for which will be sent to every Fellow, as per the Regulations framed by the Council.
(e) Persons who, in the opinion of the Council, have either rendered conspicuous service to the cause of science or whose election would be of signal benefit to the Academy could also be elected to the Fellowship provided that not more than two persons shall be so elected in any year, and that if two persons be elected in any year, there shall be no selection under this category in the following year.
7.The Vice-President (Fellowship Affairs) shall send a written announcement of the election to the persons who have been duly elected, and shall therewith send (i) the Obligation Form to be signed and (ii) a copy of current Rules and Regulations.
8.An admission fee and Fellowship subscription shall be due on election from the persons elected as Fellows. If the admission fee and Fellowship subscription are not paid within two months of the intimation of his/her election as Fellow, such election shall become inoperative. Provided that, the Council shall have power to reinstate him/her with full privileges after the admission fee and Fellowship subscription have been paid within a period not exceeding twelve months from the date of his/her election. In the case of a Fellow elected under the provisions of Rule 6(e), the Council may, at its discretion waive off payment of admission fee and Fellowship subscription.
9.No person, although duly elected according to the Rules and Regulations of the Academy, shall be entitled to exercise the rights and privileges of Fellowship, nor shall his/her name be entered in the list of Fellows, until he/she has paid admission fee and Fellowship subscription and until he/she has signed and returned the Obligation Form.
10.Effective Fellowship shall commence after the payment of the admission fee and Fellowship subscription and the signature of the Obligation Form and shall be equivalent to the expression of a direct acquiescence to the Rules and Regulations of the Academy then in existence, and of an undertaking to be bound by them and by Rules and Regulations as may thereafter be passed, as hereinafter provided.
11.Every new Fellow who has paid the admission fee and Fellowship subscription, and has returned the Obligation Form, duly signed and addressed to the Vice-President (Fellowship Affairs) shall, at the first General Meeting which he/she attends, be presented by a Fellow to the Chairperson who addressing him/her by name shall say, ‘In the name and by the authority of the Indian National Science Academy, I admit you a Fellow thereof’, and will present him/her with diploma in a form prescribed by the Council certifying his/her election to the Academy, after which the Fellow shall subscribe to a duplicate of the aforesaid Obligation in a book to be kept for the purpose.
THE OBLIGATION TO BE SUBSCRIBED
12.Every person elected a Fellow of the Academy shall, before his/her admission, subscribe to the Obligation in the following words:
As a Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy I shall follow the code of scientific ethics, maintain integrity in research and publications, uphold the cause of science and the dignity of the Academy, endeavour to be objective in my judgement and strive for the enrichment of human values and thoughts.
(Signed)
ELECTION OF FOREIGN FELLOWS
13.The procedure of electing Foreign Fellows shall be as prescribed in the Regulations framed by the Council from time to time but the number shall be limited to 150 and not more than six will be elected each year. No admission fee or Fellowship subscription shall be due from Foreign Fellows.
CESSATION OF FELLOWSHIP
17.Any Fellow may withdraw from the Academy by signifying his wish to do so, by a letter addressed to the Vice-President (Fellowship Affairs).
18.A letter of withdrawal may be cancelled by the Vice-President (Fellowship Affairs) at the request of the sender within six months of its receipt, and he/she shall thereupon recover all rights of Fellowship. The Council shall have power to waive, in special cases, the limit of six months specified above.
19.Any Fellow who ceases to be a Fellow of the Academy, either by voluntary withdrawal or by forefeiture of his/her Fellowship, shall continue to be liable for payment of sums (if any) due from him/ her to the Academy and shall return all books, material or other property (if any) borrowed by him/her from the Academy, or shall make full compensation if lost, damaged, or not forthcoming.
20.Fellows who have withdrawn from the Academy shall be eligible for re-election according to Rule 6. If re-elected, only the admission fee shall be due from them.
21.If any Fellow of the Academy shall willfully disobey Rules or Orders of the Academy or Council, or shall commit wilful breach of order at any of the General Meetings, or having unwittingly committed, shall persist in any disobedience or breach of order, after being admonished by the President, or if for any other reasons it shall appear to the Council that the name of a Fellow should not remain on the rolls, he/she shall be liable to be removed from the Academy. Whenever there shall appear cause as aforesaid, for the removal of a Fellow from the Academy, if a majority of the Council shall, after due deliberation determine by ballot, to propose to the Academy the removal of the said Fellow, the President shall, at any General Meeting of the Academy, announce from the Chair such determination of the Council, and at the next meeting after that at which the said announcement has been made, the proposition shall be submitted to ballot. If three-fourth of the Fellows present and voting at such General Meeting vote for the removal of such Fellow, he/she shall be removed from the Academy.
22.Fellow removed under the operation of Rule 21 shall not be eligible for renomination without the Council’s approval.
23.The demise of a Fellow/Foreign Fellow of the Academy shall be recorded and announced from the Chair at the next General Meeting of the Academy.
RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF FELLOWS/FOREIGN FELLOWS/ PRAVASI FELLOWS
14.
Fellows/Foreign Fellows/Parvasi Fellows shall be entitled to the following rights and privileges:-.
(a) To be present and vote at all General Meetings.
(b) To propose and recommend nominees for Fellowship.
(c) To propose persons for the awards of the Academy.
(d) To have personal access to the Library of the Academy.
(e) To take out books, plates, drawings, manuscripts, etc., from the Library, subject to such Regulations as may be prescribed by the Council.
(f) To receive gratis any one of the three journals viz., Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy, Indian Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics (IJPAM) and Indian Journal of History of Science (IJHS). In addition, memoirs of INSA Fellows and copies of such other INSA publications as the Council may decide from time to time and, subject to the direction of the Council, to purchase, at a reduced price any of the Academy’s publications.
* Rule 15 & 16 since dropped. Annual General Meeting, October 2018.
THE COUNCIL & OFFICERS
24.The election of Officers and other Members of the Council shall take place at the Annual General Meeting of the Academy
25.The Council shall prepare in accordance with the following procedure, a list of names of those persons whom they recommend for election as Officers and other members of the Council for the ensuing year :
(i) The Council shall determine the vacancies that will occur among Board of Officers and other Members of the Council during the ensuing year as per Rule 26 and 27.
(ii) The list of the Council Members for the current and the two preceding years along with the list indicating vacancies that will occur in the ensuing year, shall be circulated to all Fellows for inviting suggestions regarding the filling up of vacancies.
(iii) The suggestion received shall be circulated to the members of the Council for expression of views. This will be considered by the Council when the final nominations shall be made out of the names suggested. While the nominations are discussed, members of the Council who are being considered for the position of the President shall not participate in the selection procedure for this position.
(iv) The list of names recommended by the Council for election for the ensuing year shall be sent in the form of electronic ballot paper to each Fellow of the Academy at least one month before the date of Annual General Meeting of the Academy. Each of the Fellows may then exercise their right to vote online up to a week before the date fixed for the Annual General Meeting.
(v) The manner of election shall be as follows:
(a)
Two scrutineers shall be appointed by the Chairperson with the approbation of the majority of the Fellows present.
(b)
The scrutineers shall count the ballot papers, and shall report to the Chairperson the names of those having a majority of votes for election as Officers and other Members of the Council of the Academy and these names shall be announced from the Chair as duly elected.
(c)
If there be an equal number of votes for any two or more nominees, the scrutineers shall announce the fact, and the Chairperson shall proceed to decide by lot which nominee shall have preference.
(vi) The new Council shall assume office on the first day of each calendar year notwithstanding the date of the conclusion of the Anniversary General Meeting. The outgoing council members will lay the office on 31st December each year.
26.The President of the Academy shall be eligible to hold office for a period of three consecutive years. After the end of the term of the President, he/she will not be eligible for re-election to the membership of the Council or any office of the Council.
27.The retiring members and the Vice-Presidents shall not be eligible to the membership of the Council or to any office of the Council until after a lapse of three years from the date of their retirement except as provided under Rule 28(f). The retirement shall be decided by seniority except in so far as vacancies have not otherwise occurred. In the event of equal seniority, the seniority will be decided by lots. Notwithstanding this, all retiring and incumbent members and Vice-Presidents of the Council are, however eligible for election to the Office of the President.
28.(a) For a vacancy occurring in the office of the President or office of any of the six Vice-Presidents, the remaining members of the Council shall be competent to fill up such vacancy for the remaining period of that position from the existing members of the Council, subject to its confirmation by the subsequent General Meeting.
(b) If a vacancy occurs amongst the members of the Council the remaining members of the Council shall be authorised to fill up such vacancy from the Fellows of the Academy, subject to its confirmation by the subsequent General Meeting.
(c) Interim Vacancies shall be filled by the Council only for the unexpired period.
(d) During his/her absence, for whatever cause, the President shall nominate senior most Vice-President to perform functions of the President and sign papers until his/her return, subject to its confirmation by the Council at the first opportunity.
(e) If one of the Vice-Presidents, is unable to perform his/her duties, the President shall nominate one of the members of the Council to perform such duties and sign papers, until his/her return, subject to its confirmation by the Council at the first opportunity.
(f) Any member, who has served the Council for not more than one year, either as an additional member or interim vacancy, will be eligible to be elected for a full term of three years.
29.The Council, as constituted in accordance with these Rules, shall continue in office notwithstanding the fact that their period of office may have, in fact, expired, until their successors have been duly appointed.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COUNCIL
30.The powers and duties of the Council shall be as follows:
(a) To manage the affairs of the Academy, and for this purpose to make such Regulations and Guidelines as may appear conducive to the good administration of the Academy and the attainment of its objectives, provided that Regulations and Guidelines are not inconsistent with anything contained in these Rules. The Council is empowered to revise or alter any of the Regulations. The Guidelines of the Academy could be revised or altered by the Board of Officers and reported to the Council.
(b) To consider communications to the Academy, which in the opinion of the President, cannot be dealt with under the present Regulations and Guidelines, and in the case of those to be submitted to General Meeting, to determine the order and manner of such submission.
(c) To superintend and direct the publication of the periodicals or other works published by the Academy.
(d) To appoint as many salaried employees as deemed necessary and to define their duties, allowances, salaries, gratuities and privileges, recruitment rules, terms and conditions of service and procedures, to suspend or dismiss them or dispense with their services, as the occasion may require.
(e) To exchange for other property, or otherwise dispose of in such a manner as may, in their opinion, advance the objectives and interest of the Academy, any duplicate books, maps, specimens etc., belonging to the Academy.
(f) To prepare and submit to the Annual General Meeting a report on the general concerns of the Academy. A copy of this report along with the audited statement of accounts for the year ending March 31, and the estimated income and expenditure for the succeeding year, shall be placed on the table for information of Fellows present and shall be made available to all Fellows.
(g) The Council may appoint, from the General Body of Fellows, Committees for the consideration of special items and subjects within the purview of the Academy. The Council may also appoint Foreign Fellows and other distinguished persons who are competent and well-versed in the subject to be Members of such Committees. The Council may appoint Chairman/ Secretaries/Conveners for such Committees. The Council will have power to define the duties, tenure and to dissolve any existing committee.
(h) The Council shall be empowered, subject to the sanction of a General Meeting, to take legal proceedings for recovery of any sums due from Fellows who, after receiving the notice of their liabilities, refuse or fail to comply.
MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL AND OF COMMITTEES APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL
31.The following Rules shall be applicable to Meetings of the Council:-
(a) The Council shall meet at such times as may be deemed advisable, and may make such Regulations not inconsistent with these Rules as they may think proper for the transaction of business at such Meetings. There shall be at least three statutory Meetings of the Council and three General Meetings every year. However, if the transaction of business demands more meetings, these may be called by the President by giving one month’s notice.
(b) The President may also summon a Special Meeting of the Council giving notice to all other Members.
(c) Ten members shall form a quorum for the Statutory Meeting of the Council. No quorum is needed for a Non-Statutory Meeting of the Council.
(d) The President or in his/her absence, one of the Vice-Presidents shall take the chair. If neither the President nor one of the Vice-Presidents be present within fifteen minutes after the hour appointed for the meeting, the Fellows present shall elect a Chairperson.
(e) The ordinary method of voting shall be by show of hands, but the votes shall be taken by ballot on motion to this effect being duly carried, or when the rules provide for such method of voting.
(f) The Chairperson shall be entitled to vote with the other Fellows, and when the votes are equal he/she shall have a second and casting vote.
(g) The voting on any question except when it be one of adjournment, shall, on the demand of any Fellow present, be postponed to the next ensuing meeting provided it has the concurrence of the majority of the Council present.
(h) Minutes of the proceedings of every meeting of Council shall be taken during their progress by Vice-President (Fellowship Affairs) or any other Vice-President present whom the Chair-person shall appoint for the occasion. The Minutes shall afterwards be circulated to the members for the purpose of ascertaining their correctness, and then be entered in a Minute-Book and presented at the next Meeting of the Council and signed by the Chairperson.
32.(a) The Committees appointed by the Council will meet at such time and place as may be decided by the Chairperson/Convener of the Committee.
(b) The Committees will follow the Regulations and Guidelines as may be given to them by the Council.
(c) The minutes of the proceedings of Meetings of such Committees shall be recorded and reported to the Council, if called for.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT
33.
The powers and duties of the President shall be as follows:
(a) To preside at all Meetings of the Academy and of the Council, and to regulate the proceedings at such Meetings.
(b) To ensure the implementation of the Rules, Regulations, and Guidelines framed by the Council under Rule 30, Clause (a).
(c) To be ex-officio Member of all the Committees appointed by the Council.
(d) In case of doubt in the interpretation of any Rule, to decide on the interpretation. In such case, the President’s interpretation shall hold until the next Meeting of the Council, when the interpretation of the Rule under consideration will be finally determined.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE VICE-PRESIDENTS
34.
The powers and duties of the Vice-Presidents shall be as follows:
(a) To preside at Meetings (including the Council Meetings) and to regulate the proceedings in such meetings, in the absence of the President.
(b) To be ex-officio member of Committees appointed by the Council from time to time except the Sectional Committees and other Committees as appointed under rule 30 (g).
(c) To take responsibility of the activity of the Academy as specified.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT (RESOURCE MANAGEMENT)
35.
In addition to powers and duties common to Vice-Presidents under Rule 34(a), (b) & (c), the Vice-President (Resource Management) shall be responsible for the following:
(a) To receive and hold for the use of Academy, subject to Rule 36, all the money paid to the Academy. He/She shall disburse the sum due from the Academy and shall supervise in keeping exact accounts of all such receipts and payments.
(b) He/She will be responsible for the Property and the Infrastructural facilities of the Academy
.
(c) To exercise general supervision over the employees and affairs of the Academy, to prepare Guidelines for smooth functioning of the Academy, and to assist in carrying out the Rules, Regulations and Orders made by the Council under Rule 30.
FUNDS AND ACCOUNTS
36.
(a) The accounts and vouchers of the receipt and expenditure of the Academy shall be subject to examination by the Resource Management Committee which shall include two representatives of the Government of India, at such intervals as the Council may prescribe, and shall be subject to the annual audit. Separate Accounts shall be kept of all funds administered by the Academy on behalf of the Government. The annual statement of Accounts shall, after professional audit, be printed in the Annual Report of the Academy.
(b) All financial matters of the Academy including matters affecting the quantum of the Government grant and those dealing with the conditions of service, recruitment and promotion, of the staff of the Academy, shall be considered by the Resource Management Committee before they are placed in the Council for discussion. No such matter shall be considered by the Council until it has been considered by the Resource Management Committee.
37.
All the sums received from the Fellows as admission fee and Fellowship subscription shall be regularly invested as per Regulations by the Vice-President (Resource Management) as soon as possible after the receipt thereof and only the interest accruing therefrom shall be considered available for the general expenditure of the Academy.
38.
All the securities and money of the Academy shall be lodged for safe custody as per Regulations.
39.
The Council shall be competent to decide the Regulations to be followed for maintaining the financial control of the funds of the Academy.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT (FELLOWSHIP AFFAIRS)
40.
In addition to powers and duties common to Vice-Presidents under Rule 34 (a), (b) & (c), and subject to such delegation of duties as may be made in accordance with Rule 45, the Vice-President (Fellowship Affairs) shall be responsible for the following:
(a) To conduct the correspondence of the Academy and of the Council, except where alternative provisions have been made in the Rules.
(b) To attend the meetings of the Academy and of the Council, to record minutes of the proceedings of such meetings, to present the minutes and to report the action taken on the decisions of the previous meeting.
(c) At the General Meetings, to announce the presents made to the Academy since the last Meeting, and to read the names of nominees for Fellowship.
(d) To prepare for submission to the Annual General Meeting a list of Fellows corrected up-to-date.
(e) To enter or cause to be entered in the Minute-Book, all the proceedings of Academy and the Council before the following Meeting, and to see that all letters and papers and documents of every kind connected with the business of the Academy are properly filed and preserved.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT (INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS)
41.
In addition to powers and duties common to Vice-Presidents under Rule 34 (a), (b) & (c), the Vice-President (International Affairs) shall be responsible for the following:
(a) To conduct correspondence with foreign countries, relating to the business of the Academy, to convey thanks for presents from foreigners made to the Academy and to forward to persons, elected as Foreign Fellows, a diploma certifying their election to the Academy.
(b) To supervise all matters concerning International Programmes of the Academy and foreign deputations of Indian scientists using grant from the Academy.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT (PUBLICATIONS / INFORMATICS)
42.
In addition to powers and duties common to Vice-Presidents under Rule 34 (a), (b) & (c), the Vice-President (Publications/Informatics) shall be responsible for the following:
(a) The management of publications of the Academy and matters related to such activities.
(b) He/She will be responsible for the Informatics including Library, Information Technology facilities and maintenance of the Archives of the Academy.
(c) To identify and suggest to the Council, the persons for appointment as Editors/Guest Editors for each of the journals /monographs / special publications of the Academy.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT (SCIENCE PROMOTION)
43.
In addition to powers and duties common to Vice-Presidents under Rule 34 (a), (b) & (c), the Vice-President (Science Promotion) shall be responsible for the following:
To oversee activities of the History of Science and the Basic Science Research Schemes or any research support programme of the Academy. He/She will provide advice to implement the guidelines formulated by the Council from time to time for completion of the activities related to the schemes.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT (SCIENCE AND SOCIETY)
44.
In addition to powers and duties common to Vice-Presidents under Rule 34 (a), (b) & (c), the Vice-President (Science and Society) shall be responsible for the following:
To oversee the programmes related to Science and Society. He/She will provide advice to implement the guidelines formulated by the Council from time to time for completion of the activities related to this programme.
DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
45.
The Executive Director shall be responsible for the general administration and for the implementation of the decisions of the Council. He shall act under the general direction of the Officers and will be governed by the Regulations and Guidelines as may be laid down by the Officers. The Executive Director shall be a full time salaried employee of the Academy.
GENERAL MEETINGS OF THE ACADEMY
46.
General Meetings of the Academy shall be of four kinds viz:-
i) Ordinary
ii) Annual
iii) Anniversary
iv) Extraordinary
47.
The following Rules shall be applicable to all the General Meetings of the Academy:
(a) Ten Fellows shall constitute a quorum.
(b) The President or in his/her absence, one of the Vice-Presidents shall take the chair. In their absence one of the senior members of the Council present shall take the chair. If neither the President, nor one of the Vice-Presidents nor a member of the Council be present, on the expiration of fifteen minutes after the hour fixed for the meetings, the Fellows present shall proceed to elect a Chairperson.
(c) The business of each Meeting shall be proceeded within the order hereinafter prescribed in Rules 49, 50 and 51, provided always, that on a written notice being given to the President or one of the Vice-Presidents, not less than 48 hours prior to the Meeting, a motion for the immediate transaction of urgent business may be made, and if such motion be seconded and carried, this rule shall be suspended.
(d) With the exception mentioned in the previous clause, notice of motion on any matter of importance shall be given at the General Meeting preceding that at which the subject is to be considered or by a letter not less than one month before the General Meeting at which the subject is to be considered, in order that the Fellows interested in the question may have an opportunity of informing themselves regarding it and expressing their assent or dissent and no motion of which notice has not been given shall be carried at the Meeting at which it is proposed, if the President or Chairperson of the Meeting rules that it should be postponed.
(e) All motions and amendments except those emanating from the Council shall require to be seconded, otherwise they cannot be put. Amendments must be in writing, unless executed by the Chairperson. Not more than a single amendment to the original motion shall be laid before the Meeting at one time. When any such amendment has been negatived or has been allowed to take the place of the original motion, other amendments involving fresh points may be proposed.
(f) The method of voting shall be by show of hands provided always that the votes on any particular subject may be taken by ballot on a motion to that effect duly carried and, in the cases specially provided for by these rules, the votes shall be so taken.
(g) The Chairman’s decision on the show of hands shall be final unless a division is called for. Any Fellow present may call for a division.
(h) The Chairperson shall not vote with the rest of the Meeting but when the votes for and against are equal he/she shall have a casting vote.
(i) Any Fellow shall have the right of recording his protest, together with the reasons for the same, against the decision of the majority upon any question, provided that such protest be forwarded in writing to the Vice-President (Fellowship Affairs) within two weeks from the date of the Meeting at which the decision protested against was arrived at.
48.
The General meeting shall be held at such time and in such places as the Council may decide, so that total number of General Meetings held during a year is not less than three. The December/January meeting shall be called the Anniversary General Meeting. One of the Meetings held during the year be termed the Annual General Meeting and others, the Ordinary General Meeting.
49.
Normally the order of business at Meetings shall be as follows:
(a) The Minutes of the last Meetings shall be read and confirmed after correction, if necessary and signed by the Chairperson.
(b) To announce INSA awards and distinctions conferred on eminent scientists.
(c) Such business as is necessary in connection with the election of Fellows according to the regulations framed by the Council, shall be transacted.
(d) Notice of the intended motions shall be given.
(e) Motions of which notice was given at the preceding meeting or by post in accordance with Rule 47 clause (d), shall be disposed of, save as provided in clause (f) of this Rule and in clauses (c) and (d) of Rule 47.
(f) Matters of current business and routine shall be disposed of. If any question arises as to whether any particular question is one of current business and routine, it shall be decided by the Chairperson.
(g) Reports and communications from the Council shall be submitted for consideration.
(h) Papers and communications received by the Academy shall be read in the order prescribed by the Council under Rule 30(b).
(i) The Chairperson shall announce the names of the new Fellows and Foreign Fellows if any, and invite such persons to complete formalities of Rule 11. Fellows present who have not signed the obligation book shall do so and shall in addition be presented to the Chairperson in accordance with the provision of Rule 11.
(j) The Chairperson shall have the power, when he/she considers that Meeting has been unduly prolonged, to order any uncompleted business, except that provided for in (i), to be postponed to the next Meeting.
50.
The Annual General Meeting of the Academy shall be held under the following Rules and for the transaction of the following business:
(a) The Meeting shall be held on such date and at such place as the Council may prescribe. If a quorum be not present, the Meeting shall stand adjourned until a date to be decided by the Chairperson not more than two weeks later.
(b) Notice of the Meeting, of the hour and date at which it is to be held, and the place of Meeting, and of the business to be transacted thereat, shall be given to Fellows not less than two weeks before the date of Meeting.
(c) The business to be transacted at the Meeting shall be:
(i)
To hear the Annual Report prepared by the Council in accordance with the provision of Rule 30 (f).
(ii)
To hear Presidential remarks reviewing the work of the Academy.
(iii)
To transact other business of which notice has been given as provided for in clause (b).
(iv)
To announce the Board of Officers and other Member of the Council for the ensuing year as provided in Rule 25.
(v)
To announce names of the Fellows elected unless the Council decides that this can be more conveniently done at a Meeting of the Council or at an Ordinary General Meeting.
51.
The Anniversary General Meeting of the Academy shall be held under the following rules and for the transaction of the following business:
(a) The Meeting shall ordinarily be held in December/January every year preferably at the city selected for the Meeting of the Indian Science Congress Association. If a quorum be not present, the Meeting shall stand adjourned until a date to be decided by the Chairperson not more than a week later.
(b) Notice of the Meeting, of the hour and the date on which it is to be held, and the place of Meeting and of the business to be transacted thereat, shall be given to Fellows not less than two weeks before the date of the Meeting.
(c) The business to be transacted at the Meeting shall be:
(i) to hear the Presidential Address.
(ii) to transact other business of which notice has been given as provided in clause (b).
52.
The following Rules shall be applicable to Extraordinary General Meetings:
(a) Such Meeting may be convened by a majority of the Council and shall be convened by the President, when called on to do so by a requisition signed by not less than forty Fellows and stating the special business for which it is desirable that an Extraordinary General Meeting should be convened.
(b) Notice of the day and hour of the Meeting, and of the special business to be transacted thereat, shall be given to the Fellows within one month of receiving the request for the Extraordinary Meeting, and before one month of the date of the Meeting, provided that, if the business be very urgent, it should be competent to the Council to substitute any earlier notice than that of one month but no business of the nature specified in Rule 53 (c) shall be deemed urgent within the meaning of this clause.
(c) No other business than that included in the notice shall be transacted at such meeting, nor shall any stranger be permitted to be present thereat.
VOTES OF FELLOWS
53.
The votes of Fellows shall be taken by ballot papers (transmitted to them by the Vice-President (Fellowship Affairs)) in any of the following cases:-
(a) When the Council at their discretion consider it in the interest of the Academy that an appeal should be made from the decision of a General Meeting to all Fellows of the Academy.
(b) When ten or more Fellows sign a requisition, calling upon the President to make such an appeal.
(c) Proposals requiring major changes in respect of Finances, Organization, Alteration of Rules and Objectives of the Academy or any other major item which in the opinion of the Council requires reference to all the Fellows of the Academy.
54.
Before circulating any question coming under Rule 53 for the votes of all the Fellows of the Academy, the Council shall cause to be sent to every Fellow at least two weeks before the General Meeting at which such question is to be proposed, a printed circular in which shall be set forth the nature of the proposal and the reason for it, in order that it may be duly discussed at such General Meeting. A statement of any objection that may be raised at the Meeting against the proposal shall be circulated with the ballot papers.
55.
Any question referred to the votes of all the Fellows of the Academy shall be brought before the General Meeting after a period of thirty days from the issue of the e-ballot for the return of votes. The Chairperson shall proceed to get the votes examined and counted and report the result.
MISCELLANEOUS
56.
No person appointed as a salaried employee in the INSA Secretariat shall have the privilege of voting. If any Fellow be appointed to any such office, he/she shall not be entitled to vote at the meeting of the Academy as long as he/she continues to hold it but shall not be deprived of his/her other privileges of Fellowship.
57.
The Executive Director shall keep a record of the proceedings of the Academy, of its General Meetings and of the Meetings of the Council, as shall be, from time to time, prescribed by the Council. All Fellows shall be entitled to inspect record of General Meetings.
58.
All letters, notices, minutes of meetings, and other documents connected with the business of the Academy shall be filed in the order of their dates, and shall be preserved.
59.
When the introduction of any new, or the alteration or repeal of any existing Rule, is recommended by the Council, or proposed by ten or more Fellows, the Council shall cause to be sent to every Fellow of the Academy entitled to vote, a statement of the proposed changes and the reasons for them, with a view to the votes of the General Body of Fellows being taken as directed in Rule 55. Provided always that no change in the Rule shall be valid unless a majority of the two-thirds of the Fellows who have voted shall be in favour of the proposed changes.
60.
These Rules took effect from the date of conclusion of Anniversary General Meeting held in December, 1999. All previous Rules are hereby rescinded as from that date. The old rules will, however, be available in the archives of the Academy for reference.