Objectives:

‘SXC Consultancy Cell’ is an initiative of St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata to make its graduates ‘industry ready’ by enhancing their employability and to lend easy access to knowledge to the industry for conduction of applied research. By deepening industry-academia interaction, the College not only enhances the quality of teaching and research but also the production output and processes in the industry.

Structure:

The Cell is steered by an Executive Committee which is chaired by the Principal of the College. The other members are Convener of the Cell, Member Secretary of the Academic Council, Coordinator of the IQAC Cell, Coordinator of the EDC and two faculty members from the college and two experts from the industry, nominated by the Principal for a period of three years.

Functions:

  • To keep a good liaison with the industry;
  • To co-ordinate research projects taken up jointly by the College and Industry in the areas of product/process development and technology transfer;
  • To encourage and facilitate faculty members to provide consultancy services of diverse nature as outlined in the consultancy policy of the college;
  • To create and regularly update the consultancy directory providing information on the consultancy potential of the faculty members of the College;
  • To develop specialized Continuing Corporate Education Programmes for refreshing and updating skills and knowledge of the industry personnel;
  • To promote industrial internship, a mandatory part of the College curriculum;
  • To organize campus interviews by inviting various industries to the College campus in order to provide trained manpower for the benefit of industries and to facilitate gainful employment for the students of the College in collaboration with the Placement Cell of the College;
  • To bring out brochures and newsletters highlighting the ongoing College-Industry-Interactions, Industry News, Training Programmes, relevant inventions made by different Departments of the College;
  • To involve experts from the industry, as member of BOS, to contribute in designing the curriculum of various academic and research programmes of the College.

Offshoots of Consultancy Cell:

The Consultancy Cell of the College not only helps in building and sustaining fruitful relations with companies and social organizations but also assists in the conduction of interactive sessions, campus-drives, summer internships, mock-interviews, etc. It constantly strives towards collaborations of the College with industries, research centres and organizations to facilitate a smooth linkage between the industry and academia by way of its following factions:

  • Provision of Consultancy services to various industries/organizations by faculty members/students;
  • A full-fledged Training Cell which ensures that representatives from various multi-national companies and other recognized educational institutions visit the College, not only to apprise the students of the various courses and jobs available but also to select and train them for requisite job skills;
  • A full-fledged Training Cell which ensures that representatives from various multi-national companies and other recognized educational institutions visit the College, not only to apprise the students of the various courses and jobs available but also to select and train them for requisite job skills;
  • A Consultancy Club for the students, where the students are involved in leadership, personal development and nation building activities by connecting to the community and the country at large;

Consultancy Policy:

At the College, the faculty members and students are encouraged to seek and obtain external funding to support their research and the College's strategic vision. The official policy of the college for consultancy is as follows:-

  1. The consultancy provided may be of following types:
    • Group Consultancy – which may relate to advice rendered to or work done for an Industry/Organisation, by a Department/Group of faculty members/students on behalf of the College. The Principal Consultant and other policy matters pertaining to each project may vary and are decided by the Executive Committee of the Consultancy cell.
    • Individual Consultancy – which may relate to work undertaken by a faculty member/student in his/her individual capacity.
  2. The research projects sanctioned by the Industry/Business Houses shall be taken up under agreement/MOU to be signed between the College and the funding agency. Sufficient funds shall be provided by the funding agency to the College so as to carry out the project successfully and it should be consistent with the College's strategic vision and policy and should not prove a hindrance in the efficient discharge of duties by the faculty member taking up the project.
  3. All research contracts and consultancies must be priced to cover direct and indirect costs, and allow for distribution of a portion of the income to the College in the ratio of 70:30 (between faculty member/student and College respectively), after deducting expenditure on carrying out consultancy, if any. The consultancy work taken up by the College may alternatively contribute to strengthening of infrastructure, support the costs involved and further research activities.
  4. In order to ensure the maximum benefit for both the faculty members/student providing the consultancy and the College, all the research contracts and consultancies must be handled by the consultancy cell of the College.
  5. Approval for a consultancy proposal shall be provided as per procedure and subject to the conditions mentioned below:

Procedure for According Approval to the Consultancy Project/s by the Cell:

  1. Consultancy works/projects shall be undertaken only upon the approval of the Chairman of the Executive Committee, i.e. Principal of the College based on the recommendations of the concerned Faculty Member duly forwarded by the Convener of the Consultancy Cell.
  2. All the proposed consultancies involving the use of the Departmental equipment/facilities shall have the approval of the Head of the Department and the concerned Vice- Principal.
  3. Memorandums of Understanding with Industries, Government and Non-government agencies for carrying out a project/consultancy by the College can be signed after approval for the same has been accorded by the Chairman of the Executive Committee, provided that necessary funding is assured to be done by the sponsoring agency.
  4. The consultant should ensure that the academic schedules are not disturbed due to the Consultancy offered.

Conditions for Accord of Approval to the Consultancy Project/s by the Cell:

  1. The faculty member/s may conduct his/her/their consultancy work beyond academic schedules of and allotted individual workload by the College. The duty leaves to the students providing consultancy may be approved (on the basis of the need-based analysis of the project in question and hence, may vary from case to case), by the Chairman of the Executive Committee on the recommendation of the convener of the cell.
  2. The total annual income of the faculty member from consultancy work shall not exceed his/her total emoluments for one year.
  3. While working out the cost of consultancy project, the following shall be taken into consideration:
    • Equipment Expenses
    • Chemical and Glassware Expense
    • Travelling Expenses
    • Contingency Expenses
    • Time required to complete the project/consultancy
  4. The use of College affiliation, staff time or facilities for personal or third party benefit is not permitted, other than when approved by the Principal of the College. All consultancies should be directed through the College and even if the industries approach the experts directly, formal permission should be sought from the College to undertake the same. The disbursal of the funds agreed to be paid for the project/consultancy will be in the name of the College only.
  5. The faculty member/student (consultant) should submit statement of expenditure and a copy of the report upon completion of the consultancy/project to the College.
  6. A feedback from the sponsoring agency will also be taken by the College on the project/consultancy given to it.
  7. The College will disburse the remuneration (as per the consultancy policy) in the name of the faculty member/student (consultant) after the completion of the consultancy/project and once the report of satisfactory completion of the project/consultancy is received from the sponsoring agency.
  8. The College will award Certificate/s to the faculty members, staff and students providing consultancy, as a token of appreciation.
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