University Research Ethics Committee

Committee info.

About the Committee

In accordance with the University Grants Commission (UGC) Notification on the Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions Regulations, 2018, dated 23rd July 2018, and all studies involving human subjects comply with the regulations set by the University Grants Commission (UGC), a University Research Ethics Committee has been established at D. Y. Patil Agriculture and Technical University. The primary aim of this committee is to uphold best practices and address any instances of misconduct within the university and its constituent units. The Ethics Committee plays a crucial role in promoting ethical conduct, ensuring integrity, and maintaining the highest standards of professionalism in research and academic activities within the university.

Vision

To cultivate an environment of ethical research excellence while safeguarding the rights, safety, and welfare of all research participants and promoting integrity, transparency, and compliance with ethical principles and regulatory requirements, ensuring that all research activities adhere to the highest ethical standards.

Mission

  • To empower researchers to achieve results that are ethical and supported by broader institutional backing.
  • To safeguard and promote the human rights of participants, while encouraging researchers and organizations to respect these rights and needs.
  • To conduct comprehensive, unbiased, and timely ethical reviews of all research proposals involving human subjects conducted by faculty and students.
  • To integrate ethics into the planning and methodology of research, enabling organizations and individuals to develop suitable mechanisms for ethical self-regulation.

Composition of the Committee

Sr. No Name Representative as Role
1 Prof. (Dr.) Murali M. Bhupathi Senior Faculty Chairperson
2 Dr. Vidya L. Badadare Internal Faculty Member Member
3 Prof. (Dr.) Pramod S. Patil External Research Expert Member
4 Prof. (Dr.) T. V. G. Sarma External Social Representative Member
5 Adv. Rohan Patil Legal Expert Member
6 Mr. Yogesh C. Powar Lay Person Member
7 Dr. Namita S. Patil Internal Faculty Member Member Secretary

Functions of the Committee

All the University Research Ethics Committee members are expected to attend meetings and participate in discussions and deliberations so that appropriate decisions can be made.

  • Ensuring that all academic publications, including research papers and book chapters, adhere to the guidelines specified by the UGC.
  • Educating and encouraging students and faculty members to maintain the highest level of academic integrity in their research and scholarly endeavours
  • Reviewing all research proposals to ensure they meet ethical standards and declare the outcome of the review process.
  • Ensuring that participant information sheets and consent forms are clear, linguistically suitable, and legally valid.
  • Monitoring approved studies through regular progress reports to ensure ongoing compliance with ethical standards.
  • Identifying and addressing any potential conflicts of interest among researchers or committee members.

Duties & Responsibilities

  • Formulate Ethics Policy for DYPUT and establish modern technological facilities for detecting plagiarism.
  • Conduct regular seminars and awareness programs on various research aspects, such as best practices for publications and other important topics like plagiarism, referencing, and citations, to achieve research ethics and publication integrity.
  • Providing guidance and counselling to students and faculty members who inadvertently fail to comply with the guidelines and recommending appropriate actions as necessary.
  • Reporting breaches of the Ethics Policy or non-compliance with ethical practices among students, faculty, and staff to the Principal for necessary actions.
  • Recommending actions on non-compliance with ethical practices among students, faculty, and staff.
  • Proposing corrective actions on reports of non-adherence to the Policy.
  • Reviewing proposals without bias or personal prejudice.
  • Maintaining strict confidentiality of all research protocols and proprietary information discussed during meetings.
  • Categorizing proposals into Exemption, Expedited, or Full Committee Review based on risk levels.
  1. Exemption from Review: Minimal risk (e.g., educational tests).
  2. Expedited Review: No more than minimal risk.
  3. Full Committee Review: More than minimal risk or involving vulnerable populations.

Procedure for the Functioning

The Ethical Committee at DYPUT is authorized to recommend appropriate decisions, including ethical clearance for proposals submitted by the university’s staff and students.

  1. For PG/PhD Thesis

Researchers are required to submit the following documents:

  1. One hard copy to the Member Secretary, University Research Ethics Committee.
  2. The submission should include a cover letter (one page) addressed to the Chairman, University Research Ethics Committee, and forwarded through the Head of the Department.
  3. Additionally, the application format as specified in Annexure A (Form A), any applicable consent forms (Annexures B and C), and an information collection sheet must be included.
  4. Students and research scholars, through their respective supervisors, pursuing their Research Degree/Programme, must submit self-attested photocopies of materials, data, and all other relevant documents to the Ethical Committee, through respective School Deans, before starting the research process.
  5. An abstract, not exceeding 500 words, should outline the study’s objectives, methodology, risks, potential benefits, and anticipated outcomes.
  6. The research process should commence only after receiving an Ethical Clearance Certificate from the Committee.
  7. Students must submit an undertaking that their thesis does not contain plagiarized content, along with a self-attested copy of the plagiarism report.
  8. Supervisors must also provide a certificate confirming that the students’ research work is free from plagiarized content.
  9. The university will submit soft copies of the thesis to INFLIBNET, upon which the Research Degree is awarded.
  10. For Research proposals by Faculty involving Human Participants
  11. PI required to submit the following documents:
  12. One hard copy to the Member Secretary, University Research Ethics Committee
  13. The submission should include a cover letter (one page) addressed to the Chairman, University Research Ethics Committee, and forwarded through the Head of the Department.
  14. Additionally, the application format as specified in Annexure A (Form A), any applicable consent forms (Annexures B and C), and an information collection sheet must be included.
  15. A complete proposal (background of the study, objectives, methodology, limitations, novelty, significance, outcome of the study, Outline strategies for disseminating the research findings, budget, and timelines, references) in the prescribed format.
  16. University Research Ethics Committee will review proposals and communicate the decision (Approved, Revision Required, or Rejected) to the PI within 7-10 working days of the meeting.
  17. Post-Approval: For approved projects, the PI must submit annual progress reports and a final completion report. Any deviations or Serious Adverse Events (SAEs) must be reported to the University Research Ethics Committee within 24 hours.

Message from the Director, Research & Development

Research serves as the cornerstone of academic excellence at D.Y. Patil Agriculture and Technical University, where the Director of R&D is dedicated to fostering an environment that empowers faculty and students to explore innovative ideas, challenge prevailing paradigms, and make significant contributions to their disciplines. Our primary objective is to support the academic community by providing the resources for high-quality scholarly publications, streamlining grant management for internal and external funding, upholding the highest standards of ethics and integrity, and facilitating strategic collaborations across departments and industries. We firmly believe that a technical education must be fueled by a spirit of inquiry; by integrating research at every level, we ensure our graduates are not just skilled technicians, but critical thinkers equipped to lead and nurture the intellectual talent that drives Atmanirbhar Bharat through local innovation and world-class excellence. I encourage our faculty, students, and partners to actively engage in our research and development initiatives and to advocate for a culture of excellence. By consolidating our efforts, we will enhance our reputation as a globally recognized institution committed to addressing regional needs and contributing to national progress.

Contact

Dr. Namita S. Patil
Director, Research & Development
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