nielogo.gif (26321 bytes) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ECOLOGY

RULES AND REGULATIONS
(As amended upto October 1991)

RULES

Name
1. The Society shall be called the NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ECOLOGY (referred hereunder as the Institute).

Registered Office
2. The Registered Office of the Institute shall be located in Jaipur until otherwise decided by the Central Executive Council of the Institute.

Objects
3. The objects of the Institute are:

(a) To promote the study of ecology and environmental sciences at all levels of formal and non-formal education.

(b) To create greater environmental consciousness for the betterment of quality of life.

(d) To act as a premier scientific organization in the country in the field of ecology and environmental sciences.

(e) To frame core curricula and to organize courses in ecology and environmental sciences at all levels of education.

(f) To cultivate liaison between governmental and non-governmental institutions, academies, societies and other organizations in the field of ecology and environmental sciences.

(g) To advise the government and its agencies on the environmental issues of public interest.

(h) To cooperate and affiliate with international organizations in the field of ecology and environmental sciences.

(i) To hold and sponsor or support conferences, seminars, symposia, and meetings and to arrange lectures and demonstrations on any aspect of ecology and environmental science.

(j) To encourage and support research in ecology and environmental sciences.

(k) To publish such journals, proceedings, books, newsletters or bulletins, as may be found desirable.

(l) To establish a central library of ecological literature.

(m) To secure and manage funds, donations and gifts and endowments for the promotion of the subject.

(n) To do and perform all other acts that may assist in, are conducive to, or be necessary for the fulfillment of the above-mentioned objects.

Constitution
4. The Institute shall be composed of Fellows and Members whose names and addresses shall be entered in a Register maintained for the purpose. Both the fellowship and membership shall be open to individuals of all nations without discrimination against sex, religion or caste.

Fellows:

(a) Fellows shall be persons of eminence who have contributed significantly to the advancement of the subject. They shall be elected by the procedure laid down for the purpose. Those who accept nomination as Fellows before 30 April 1978, shall be designated as Founder Fellows.

Members:

(b) Members shall be individuals who are actively engaged in the subject, and agree to contribute towards the objects of the Institute. The Membership shall be effected on being proposed by two Fellows of the Institute.

Student Members:

(c) Student Members are individuals enrolled in an Indian University, College or Research Institute, as a full-time student engaged in research in any area of ecology or environmental science. An individual can remain a Student Member for a maximum of four years only.

Administration
5. The administration and management of the affairs of the Institute shall be the responsibility of the Central Executive Council which shall be constituted as per Rules 25-27.

6. The Institute will have five or more Regional Institutes of Ecology to serve areas of special ecological regions. The Regional Institutes will operate within the objects of the National Institute except that their activities shall be governed by specific requirements of the region. The regions shall be identified by the Central Executive Council, and each Regional Institute will have an Executive Committee constituted as per Rule 33.

7. The income and property of the Institute shall be applied solely towards its objects, and no portion thereof shall be paid or divided amongst any of the Fellows or Members; provided that nothing hereinafter contained shall prevent the Central Executive Council to snake such payments in return of services rendered by the Institute's employees as the Central Executive Council may determine from time to time for efficient working of the Institute.

Election and Admission of Fellows
8. The Fellows shall be elected according to the procedure laid down for the purpose by the Central Executive Council, except that the Central Executive Council may invite individuals of eminence and who have contributed significantly to the cause of ecology and environment, to become Honorary Fellows*.

(* Founder Fellows who retired from active service before December 1989 were also designated as Honorary Fellows.)

9. The Secretary-General shall inform in writing to the candidates duly elected and shall send a copy of the obligation to be signed, and of the Rules of the Institute for the time being in force.

10. An admission fee of Rs. 500/- (Rupees five hundred only) or as determined by the Central Executive Council from time to time, shall be due on election from the Fellow resident in India.

11. No person although duly elected according to the procedure, shall be entitled to exercise the rights and privileges of the Fellowship until he/she has paid the full admission fee and has signed the obligation.

12. Every Fellow who has paid the admission fee and has returned the obligation duly signed, shall at the first General Body meeting of the Institute he/she attends, be presented by the Secretary-General or a senior Fellow of his special discipline, to the President who will admit him to the Institute by saying aloud, "In the name and by the authority of the National Institute of Ecology, I admit you a Fellow thereof".

Every Fellow who has thus been admitted to the Institute, will receive a scroll in the form prescribed by the Council, certifying his election,. and shall sign a duplicate of the obligation in the Register kept for the purpose.

Admission of Members

13. Every person willing to become a Member of the Institute shall arrange to send to the Secretary-General, a nomination form signed by two Fellows in the proforma prescribed, along with a brief statement of his curriculum vitae, a list of publications, a copy of the reprint of each of the publications in the subject, the obligation duly signed, and the first annual subscription and an admission fee as may be determined by the Central Executive Council from time to time.

14. The Secretary-General, on receipt of the nomination form and enclosures as required in Rule 13, shall communicate to the person concerned about his/her admission as a Member of the Institute.

Annual Subscription
15. All Members shall pay an annual subscription of such amount as the Central Executive Council may determine from time to time. The subscription shall he due on the first day of January each year.

Life Membership
15a. A Member, resident in India, can get his existing membership converted to Life Membership upon payment of an amount fixed from time to time by the Central Executive Council. This amount will be fixed according to the age which will be considered only in completed years on 1 January in the year of application for life membership. The subscription for life membership of overseas Fellows shall be similarly fixed from time to time by the Central Executive Council.

Obligation
16. Every person duly elected as a Fellow or admitted as Member shall be required to subscribe the following obligation:

"I, the undersigned, do hereby subscribe to the obligation that I will endeavor to promote the interest and welfare of the National Institute of Ecology for the furtherance of its objects, and observe its rules and regulations so long as 1 shall continue to be a Fellow/Member thereof".

Privileges
17. All Fellows and Members shall be entitled to the following general privileges:

(a) to be present and to vote at all General Meetings;

(b) to receive a copy of each of the publications of the Institute, gratis or at a reduced price as may be determined by the Central Executive Council from time to time;

(c) to use the library of the Institute as and when established, provided that outstation Fellows and Members may be required to bear the postal expenses;

(d) to attend and participate in all lectures, seminars, symposia and conferences, etc., the registration fees for which shall be determined by the Central Executive Council according to the existing circumstances with certain privileges provided for the Fellows and Members.

18. All Fellows shall and entitled to the following additional privileges:

(a) to propose and recommend candidates for election as Fellows and for admission as Members;

(b) to vote in the election of the Fellows;

(c) to vote in the elections and to fill any post in the Central Executive Council or the Regional Executive Committee by being duly elected;

(d) to represent the Institute on being so nominated by the Central Executive Council, on other organizations, in meetings, conferences, symposia, etc.; and

(e) to serve on such committees as the Institute may form.

19. The Members shall have the following additional privileges:

(a) to become Fellow of the Institute on being duly elected;

(b) to serve on the Central Executive Council if co-opted for the purpose; and

(c) to vote in the elections and to get elected as a Member of the Executive Committee of the Regional Institute according to the procedure laid down for the purpose;

Provided that such members are either Life Members or convert their ordinary membership into life membership by paying the dues in accordance with the rule in force at that time, before seeking the above privileges.

20. All the Fellows shall be entitled to use the abbreviations FNIE after their names.

Cessation of Fellowship/Membership
21. A Fellow or Member may withdraw from the Institute by signifying his wish to do so by the letter addressed to the Secretary-General. Such resignation does not however exempt the Member from paying the dues in arrears up to the year of resignation, if any.

22. A Member whose subscription has not been paid within three months of its having fallen due, shall receive a reminder from the Secretary-General for payment of the annual subscription. If the Member fails to pay the dues within two months of such reminder, his/her privileges as a Member shall be suspended. The Central Executive Council may recommend cessation of Membership in case the dues are in arrears for more than a year.

23. A person who has ceased to be a Member of the Institute by defaulting in payment of subscription, can apply in writing to the Secretary-General, for revival of his/her Membership. Such revival shall be effected only on payment of a fresh admission fee and all dues outstanding till date but the Member shall not claim such publications or the Institute as were published during the years the person ceased to be a Member, and are out of print at the time of revival of Membership.

Central Executive Council
24. The Central Executive Council of the Institute shall be as far as possible so constituted as to allow adequate representation to all regions of the country, and to major sub-disciplines of ecology and environmental sciences.

25. The Central Executive Council shall comprise of the following persons to be elected from among the Fellows, according to the procedure laid down for the purpose:

(a) President; (b) Vice-Presidents - two; (c) Secretary-General; (d) Joint Secretary; (e) Treasurer; and (f) Councilors - six.

26. The following persons shall also serve ex-officio on the Central Executive Council:

(a) Chairmen of the Regional Executive Committees;

(b) Immediate Past President;

(d) Executive Editor (nominated by the Central Executive Council);

(e) Chairmen of the Subcommittees named by the Central Executive Council; and

(f) Business Manager (nominated by the Central Executive Council)

27. In addition to the above, the Council. may co-opt not more than five persons to serve the Central Executive Council from among the Fellows and Members of the Institute. Further, there shall be provision for additional Councilors to be nominated by cooperating or affiliating scientific societies or academies from amongst the Fellows of the Institute provided no such society or academy shall have more than one nominee. Further, there shall be provision for the Government of India to nominate their representatives on the Council, not more than two for one term only, provided the nominees are Fellow of the Institute or get elected to the Fellowship.

28. The Council duly elected according to the procedure laid down for the purpose, shall hold office for three years. The President shall not be eligible for re-election for more than one term. The Councilors will be so elected that half of them retire every three years. The retiring Councilors and Vice Presidents shall be eligible for re-election after a lapse of three years.

29. No person shall hold more than one office in the Council at the same time.

30. In the event of a vacancy during the term of the Council, the President shall nominate a Fellow to fill such vacancy. In case of the President's office failing vacant, the Past President will serve as President.

Functions and Powers of the Council
31. The funds and properties of the Institute shall be vested in the Central Executive Council. The Council shall direct and regulate the general office and the offices of the Regional Institutes.

32. The Central Executive Council will have powers to:

(a) organize Regional Institutes;

(b) form subcommittees as may be necessary to fulfill the objects of the Institute;

(d) consider and decide applications for Fellowship/Membership of the Institute;

(e) invite individuals of eminence and who have contributed significantly to the cause of ecology and environment, to become Honorary Fellows;

(f) fix the annual subscription, admission fees and registration fees for symposia, conferences, etc., for Fellows and Members, and the cost of publications of the Institute;

(g) conduct election of office bearers in due time and fix the date and venue of, and convene and conduct Annual General and scientific meetings;

(h) frame, alter or repeal rules and regulations of the Institute, and place them before the General Body for approval as provided in Rule 56;

(i) perform all such acts and things as may be required to be done for achieving the objects of the Institute.

Regional Executive Committees
33. Each Regional Institute will be under the administration or an Executive Committee comprising of: (a) Chairman; (b) Vice Chairman; (c) Local Secretary; and (e) Members - five (at least two of whom shall be Fellows).

34. The Regional Executive Committee shall be elected, at the same time and in the same manner as prescribed for the Central Executive Council.

35. Notwithstanding anything contained in these Rules, the first Regional Executive Committees shall be nominated by the President of the Institute in consultation with the Central Executive Council.

Duties of Office Bearers
30. The duties and powers of the President shall be:

(a) to preside at all meetings of the Institute, and of the Central Executive Council, and to regulate the proceedings;

(b) to guide and control the activities of the Institute;

(d) to exercise casting vote in case of equality of votes;

(e) to deliver an annual address at the General Meeting; and

(f) to be ex-officio member of all subcommittees.

37. The duties of the Vice Presidents will be as follows:

(a) in the absence of the President, the senior Vice President (determined by larger number of votes polled during the election) will preside over the meetings and annual conference and exercise the same powers as that of the President;

(b) to act as Chairman of those sub-committees in which the President will not be a member;

(c) to exercise such powers as may be delegated to him/her by the President.

38. The duties of the Secretary-General shall be:

(a) to conduct the correspondence of the Institute and the Central Executive Council, and to sign all letters/papers for the Institute;

(b) to attend the meetings of the Institute and the Council, to record minutes of Proceedings of such meetings, and to present the minutes of the preceding meeting;

(d) to maintain the library of the Institute;

(e) to do general supervision of accounts, pass all bills for payment and sign cheques;

(f) to organize, arrange and convene meetings, conferences, lectures, and demonstrations, and elections of office bearers;

(g) to act as an ex-officio member of sub-committees constituted by the Central Executive Council;

(h) to maintain a correct and up-to-date Register of all Fellows and Members;

(i) to arrange publication of (a) directory of Fellows and Members, and (h) other scientific reports, proceedings and other publications of the Institute from time to time.

39. The Treasurer shall receive and hold for the use of the Institute all money paid to the Institute. The Treasurer shall disburse all sums due from the Institute and shall keep exact accounts of all receipts and payments. The Treasurer shall prepare a Statement of Accounts as per the directions of the Central Executive Council and get them audited. The Treasurer shall prepare a list of Members in arrears for more than three months and shall communicate the same to the Secretary-General for further action. A list of Members in arrears for more than a year shall be presented to the Council for action.

40. The Joint Secretary shall help the Secretary-General in all matters as desired by the latter and shall act as Secretary-General in his absence.

Meetings
41. As far as possible, one meeting of the General Body comprising of Fellows and Members shall be held every year at a time and place considered suitable by the Council. The Secretary-General shall inform all the Fellows and Members about the date, time, place and agenda of the meeting not less than three weeks in advance, except in case of an emergency or especially requisitioned meeting for which the minimum period may be seven days with approval or the President. There shall be no quorum.

42. The Central Executive Council will hold at least two meetings every year, one of which may be synchronized with the Annual General Meeting, at date, time and places to be decided by the Council. The quorum shall he one-third of the total strength of the Council.

43. The annual meeting of the Central Executive Council shall consider the following matters and other matters as may be placed before it:

(a) election of Fellows;

(b) annual report of the previous year;

(d) consideration of the budget for the next year;

(e) rates of subscription, subscription in arrears, cost of publications, and other related matters;

(f) formulation of activities of the Institute;

(g) recommendations for elections of the Central Executive Council for ratification by the General Body.

44. The Annual General Meeting shall consider the following and other matters placed before it:

(a) confirmation of the minutes of the last General Meeting;

(b) new Fellows shall be presented to the President for admission and Fellows who have not signed the Obligation Register shall do so;

(d) consideration and adoption of the Statement of Accounts and budget for the next year;

(e) consideration of the motions and proposals of the Council;

(f) consideration of any other matter placed by the Fellows/Members before the meeting, with the permission of the President, on being duly proposed and seconded.

45. Notwithstanding anything contained in these rules, the Central Executive Council shall have the power to transact its business by correspondence and mutual consultations. All issues will be decided by simple majority replying to the correspondence.

The Association Year
46. The year of the Society for all purposes shall be the calendar year.

Funds

47. The funds of the Institute shall be derived from the subscriptions, contributions, donations, gifts, grants and income from publications, conferences, exhibitions, demonstration, etc.

48. The Central Executive Council may set up a reserve fund, and invest any part of the funds in a manner found suitable for the furtherance of the Institute's objects.

49. The Council shall allot a part of the funds for the activities of the Regional Institutes.

50. All expenses in connection with the management or the office and for the purposes to meet the objects of the Institute shall be met out of the funds of the Institute and such expenses shall be authorized by the Council in advance at the annual meeting, and ratified by the General Body. Any additional expenses shall also bear the prior approval of the Council.

51. The cheques shall be signed by the Secretary-General and either the President or the Treasurer.

52. An auditor shall be appointed at the annual meeting of the Council every year for auditing the accounts.

Miscellaneous
53. There shall be kept such records of the proceedings, general meetings and meetings of the Central Executive Council as are held from time to time. All Fellows shall be entitled to inspect such records. All letters, notices and other documents connected with the business of the Institute shall be preserved suitably.

54/55. { deleted as not relevant any more}

Amendments

56. Any amendments to these rules shall be made only at the initiation of such proposals of amendments by the Central Executive Council, or five or more Fellows. The proposals for amendments, approved by the Central Executive Council, shall be placed before the General Body or sent to all the Fellows for voting, and no amendment. shall be carried unless voted for by two-thirds of the Fellows voting for the amendments.

Dissolution
57. In the case of dissolution of the Institute, any property whatsoever left after satisfying all debts and liabilities, shall not be paid to or distributed among any members/fellows of the Institute but shall be given oi. transferred to some other Society or Societies with the same or similar objects as determined by the votes of not less thin two-thirds of Fellows and Members in person at the time of dissolution.

Rule 13
Currently the admission fee is Rs 50 (India and Nepal only) or US$ 5 (other countries).]

Rule 15
Current annual subscription is Rs 200 (India and Nepal only) or US$ 35 (Developed Countries) or US$ 25 (Developing Countries).]

Rule 15a
Current Rates of Life Membership are as follows:

Above 60 years Rs 500

>55 to 60 years Rs 1000

>50-55 years Rs 1400

>45-50 years Rs 1800

>40-45 years Rs 2400

>35-40 years Rs 2700

>30-35 years Rs 3000

Less than 30 years Rs 3500

Overseas Fellows: US$ 350 (Developed Countries)

US $ 250 (Developing Countries)

REGULATIONS

A. Regulations for the Election of Fellows

1. The election to the Fellowship shall be held only once in a year.

2. The nominations for the elections to the Fellowship shall be made on a prescribed form available from the Secretary-General of the Institute.

3. The nominees for election as a Fellow shall meet the following conditions at the time of nomination:

a. He/she should be a Life Member of the NIE.

b. He/she should hold a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in any field of ecology or environmental science.

c. He/she should have at least 12 years' experience after obtaining the Ph.D. degree.

In exceptional cases the requirement of if the nominee has published research work of high quality.

4. Every nominee shall be proposed by two or more Fellows of whom not more than ore is a member of the Central Executive Council. The nomination form shall specify the name, age, profession, qualifications, including a list of publications, and the place of residence. It shall provide also a brief statement of the nature and significance of the important contributions of the nominee. Copies of publications shall also be submitted with the proposal. The proposer shall send the nomination form direct to other Fellows for their support to the nominee by affixing their signatures thereon.

5. All nominations for the Fellowship received by the Secretary-General on or before 31 August shall only be considered for elections in that year.

6. The Central Executive Council will forward the nominations to a Sub-committee named for the purpose for each discipline within the field of ecology and environmental sciences. The Sub-committee comprising of at least three Fellows shall, on scrutiny of the nominations, make recommendations to the Council.

7. The Council shall consider the recommendations at its meeting or by correspondence and recommend those for election whom it considers appropriate.

8. The Secretary-General shall then cause to send a voting paper containing the recommendations of the Council to all the Fellows.

9. The Fellows will vote for the candidates by putting a cross against their names. The voting paper shall be returned in a sealed envelope placed in another envelope provided for the purpose, together with a signature slip, to the Secretary-General, before a specified date.

10. The ballot papers shall be opened by the Secretary-General and two other scrutineers nominated by the President.

11. The scrutineers shall report to the President the number of votes polled by each nominee. The President will declare as having been duly elected the names of those candidates who have secured the votes of two-thirds of Fellows voting.

12. The result of the election shall be notified to the elected candidates by post, and also to all other Fellows and Members in a manner considered suitable by the Council.

13. The process of election shall be completed, as far as possible, before 10 December each year in which the nominations have been received and are considered.

14. The candidates nominated in the manners prescribed in these regulations but who have not been elected in the same year, shall be automatically considered for election in the next year when the candidates may provide additional information about their work for consideration. If the candidates fail to get elected in the next year also, fresh nominations shall be required for consideration for election of Fellowship.

B. Regulations for the Elections of the Central Executive Council

1. The Secretary-General shall invite nominations for vacancies to be filled in the Council, from Fellows in good standing. Each nomination shall be signed by the proposer and at least two Fellows will second it. It will be the responsibility of the proposer to obtain prior consent of the person proposed for an office, and no person shall be proposed at a time for more than two offices.

2. The nominations received from the Fellows shall be considered by the Central Executive Council to finalize the Council's own nominations from among them.

3. The Secretary-General shall cause to send a voting paper to all the Fellows. The voting paper shall list all the nominations received from the Fellows, the nominations of the Council for each office falling vacant and the vacancies occurring in the Council. The Fellows will vote for the candidates by writing their names in the space provided for each vacancy.

4. The voting paper shall be placed in a sealed envelope and enclosed in another envelope along with a signature slip, and returned to the Secretary-General, by a specified date.

5. The President shall nominate two scrutineers not being the candidates, who will open the ballot papers handed over to them by the Secretary-General.

6. The scrutineers shall record the number of votes polled by each candidate, and shall send their statement to the President. The President shall declare the candidates who have secured the largest number of votes, as having been duly elected. In case of a tie, the President's decision shall be final. The result shall be announced at the annual General Meeting and/or communicated to the Fellows and Members of the Institute in the manner considered appropriate by the Council.

7. The whole process of elections to the Council shall be so conducted as to complete it before the end of the year.

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