Policy on Consultancy

The policy for consultancy in Madras Christian College (MCC) envisions to provide a clear framework for the stakeholders with relevant to knowledge and expertise to undertake external engagement that can be in any form in specific circumstances, which is reckoned as “consulting” activity. Consulting activity may be pertaining to providing solution to specific problems posed in the society, industry, government or any institution external to MCC. This consultancy policy seeks to provide guidelines for promoting academia-industry interactions and collaborations, and to ensure consultancy undertaken by the faculty and staff is in line with the objectives of the MCC and that the consultancy activity follows a sustainable model.

Consultancy Services in Madras Christian College shall fall under three categories:

Advisory Consultancy

The services involve scientific, technical, commercial or other professional advice, provided to a client purely on the basis of available expert knowledge and experience of individual (s), and not envisaging use of any facilities of the Madras Christian College, and also not involving any kind of survey, detailed study or report preparation / submission. Under this category, the specified and identified problems of an industry/organization shall be addressed through rendering technical/scientific advice, which involves no laboratory work / non-utilisation of institutional facilities. The advisory consultancy fee is shared respectively between the consultant and the MCC in the ratio of 60:40 on gross collection. The institute shall not provide TA/DA for the visits, and shall be borne by the client.

General Consultancy

Under this category, the consultancy services are based on interactions/agreement between the college and the industry, and normally involve laboratory work/utilisation of institutional facilities, and travel. Detailed work plan is agreed upon prior to the agreement deal and is the basis for proposing financial estimates of the project. The rules governing this category are principally the same as for the advisory consultancy. The consultancy fee charged is shared respectively between the consulting unit/department and the MCC in the ratio of 70:30 on gross collection. The 80% of the fee includes consultant fee, salary for project personnel, equipment and infrastructure, consumables, other operational expenses, and applicable taxes. The 20% of the fee serves as the institutional overhead charges.

General consultancy may cover (but not limited to):

• Preparation of literature survey, feasibility studies (technical and commercial), project, technology development and validation, technology assessment and evaluation, technology forecasting reports, and policies,
• Interpretation and validation of test results and data, risks and hazard/environment impact analysis, etc.,
• Assistance/advice in erection, commissioning, fabrication and operation of equipment/facility; process creation, improvement and trouble-shooting; product development and productivity improvements; developing sustainable business models; pollution abatement/control measures, energy conservation and waste utilization,
• Standardization and calibration services offered in areas in which facilities are available or can be augmented through partner institution facilities, and

Any consultancy assignment which does not strictly fall under the category of advisory consultancy, shall be taken up as general consultancy.

Technical Services

This category of services covers routine laboratory testing/analysis, production of special products/studies/repairs and maintenance/supply of information/data, where neither any interpretation of result is called for nor any technical/scientific advice is rendered. The technical consultancy job is undertaken directly by the department/unit/centre on charges as quoted by them, for which prior approval has to be obtained from the Institution. The amount quoted may include testing/utility/other charges as applicable, as well as the technician charges. The consultancy fee charged is shared respectively between the consulting unit/department and the MCC in the ratio of 60:40 on gross collection. All the operational expenses and technician charges, if any, are borne by the department/unit for the services rendered.

Process Flow of the Consultancy

The process flow of the consultancy approval and implementation is explained as a diagram.