MHRD IPR Chair Series: Information Received from Cochin University of Science and Technology

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 2013-2014.

To collect the information for the given study, an RTI application was filed to the CUSAT on 07/01/2015 by the Centre for Internet and Society. The reply to RTI application was received on 05/02/2015. These are the documents received by CIS from CUSAT:

• For RTI Response click here
• For complete supporting documents (Report and response to RTI)

Hereinafter, in order to receive any information about CUSAT’s 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 CUSAT from 2013-2014
  Reply: The University has submitted the report on the implementation of IPERPO scheme along with the supporting documents

• Documents detailing the release of grants to the MHRD IPR Chairs under the IPERPO Scheme
  Reply: According to the documents submitted to CIS, CUSAT received no grant from MHRD for the period 2013-2014

• 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 CUSAT
  Reply: All the documents related to utilisation certificate and expenditure statement for the period 2013-2014 are submitted by the University

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.

A. Objectives
CUSAT organised following activities in order to comply with the objectives mentioned in the scheme document:
a. Introduced post graduate courses in IPR
b. Policy Research in the field of IP and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore
c. Research Publications in the field of compulsory licensing
d. Organised World Intellectual Property Day on 26th April 2013

B. Eligibility
CUSAT is recognized by the University Grants Commission. Therefore, it fulfils the eligibility criteria mentioned in the scheme document.

Financial Analysis

This section only deals with the financial year 2013-2014

In this financial year no grant was received by CUSAT and its total expenditure was Rs. 27,20,148.

In this financial year, the maximum amount of money was spent on International Travel. A total sum of Rs. 27,20,148 is due from MHRD.