Constitution

1. Name Of The Association

The Association shall be called the "TIFR ALUMNI ASSOCIATION" (hereinafter referred to as "THE ASSOCIATION or (+)TIFRAA"), of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, hereafter referred to as the Institute, and its Office shall be located at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, (TIFR) Colaba, Mumbai 400 005.

2. Aims And Objectives

The aims and objectives for which the Association is established are:-

To provide a forum for members of the Association for interaction and to sustain a sense of belonging amongst the members of the Association with TIFR through mutually beneficial contacts
To provide avenues for drawing upon the knowledge and expertise of the alumni for furthering the cause of the Institute as a leading Center of Excellence
To foster linkages amongst the alumni and to promote personal and friendly relations through meetings and get-togethers among members of the Association.
To collect, publish and distribute such information as may be useful to members of the Association.
To undertake all such activities as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above aims and objectives.

3. Financial Year

The Financial year of the Association shall be from April 1st to March 31st.

4. Membership

The membership of the Association shall be open to:

Anyone who has acquired a degree from TIFR, OR
Anyone who acquired a degree before 2002 from any University provided their work leading to the degree was done in TIFR, OR
Anyone who spent more than 2 years as a JRF in TIFR and whose salary/emoluments were paid by TIFR even if such a person did not obtain his/her degree from TIFR, OR
Any ex-member who has worked at the Institute for at least 2 years as a member of academic staff or as a scientific officer and is no longer with the Institute OR
Any ex-member who has worked in the Institute as a post-doctoral visiting fellow for at least one year, OR
Any serving academic, scientific or technical staff shall be entitled to become “Associate Member” of TAA, subject to payment of membership fee as decided by the Executive Committee of TAA from time to time. Such members shall continue to enjoy all rights as regular TAA members. They shall automatically become regular members of TIFR after superannuation.

5. Management Of The Association

The Management of the Association shall be vested in an Executive Committee. It shall consist of not less than 11 and not more than 15 members and shall be constituted as follows:
The President of the Association, shall be elected at the triannual or Special General Meeting called for the purpose;
Director of the Institute and another member of the Institute to be nominated by the Director as ex-officio members (this member need not be a member of the Association)
Eight members to be elected at the triannual or Special General Meeting called for the purpose
The President and at least half of the rest of the members of the Executive Committee shall not be current members of TIFR.
The Executive Committee may co-opt up to 4 members.
The elected members of the EC may co-opt up to 10 additional members into the EC, from among existing members of the TAA attached to TIFR (Mumbai) as well as to the other Centres associated to TIFR (namely, HBCSE, NCRA, NCBS, CAM, ICTS and TCIS). It is desirable that there be at least one member be co-opted from each Centre
One of the co-opted-members must be a currently registered student, who must be an Associate Member of TAA.

6. Membership and Payment Of Subscription

Any person satisfying Article 4 will be eligible to be a member and shall become a member on the payment of the membership fee. There shall be a one-time Life Membership fee of Rs.2200/- for residents of India and Rs 2500/- for those staying outside India, which may be changed by the General Body from time to time.

7. Executive Committee Of The Association

The Executive Committee shall elect from among their members the following Office-bearers:

Vice President
Secretary
Jt. Secretary
Treasurer

The Secretary and Treasurer shall be Mumbai based TIFR staff members

8. Sub Committee

The Executive Committee may appoint from time to time from among its members such Sub-Committee, or partly from among its Members and partly from among the Members of the Association such Special Committee as may be required, and shall prescribe the terms of reference, powers and privileges of such Sub-committee or Special Committee.

9. Bank Account & Investments

Any two persons (and not less than two), being (i) the Treasurer and (ii) either the President, the Vice President, the Secretary, or a named member of the Executive Committee of TIFRAA, , shall jointly operate the Association's Bank account.
The Association's investments and any other property shall be held in the names of the Association
he Executive Committee may also, by resolution, designate three Members of the Association to sign any documents, etc., other than those referred to in paragraph (a) and (b) of this Article, on behalf of and binding on the Association. Every such designation shall be specific, and shall cease after completion of its purpose.

10. Accounts to be Held in the Name of the Association

All accounts in banks or any other institutions shall be held in the name of the Association as prescribed in Article 9 abovee

11. Meetings of the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall meet as often as may be necessary, but not less than twice every year to transact the business of the Association. The President shall preside at such meetings. In his absence, the Vice-President shall preside, and in the absence of the President and the Vice-President, the members present at the meeting shall elect one amongst themselves to preside.
Any elected or co-opted Member of the Committee absenting from three consecutive committee meetings without prior intimation shall be deemed to have vacated the respective office.

12. Quorum

Five members shall form a QUORUM for Executive Committee meetings. If there is no quorum in the meeting, the presiding person may decide on the place and time of the next meeting for which no quorum will be required.

13.

At least ten days' notice shall be given for a meeting of the EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. The meeting shall be convened by the Secretary designated for the purpose, in consultation with the President and the Director of the Institute. Any five Members of the Executive Committee may require the Secretary to call a meeting of the Committee by requisition in writing, stating the object for which they desire that the meeting be called, and thereupon the Secretary shall proceed to do so. In the event of the Secretary failing to convene such meeting within thirty days after receipt of the requisition by him, the members who requested for the meeting may themselves convene a meeting of the Committee after due notice.

14. Annual General Body Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held every year not later than 15 months after the holding of the previous Annual General Meeting to transact the following business: -

To consider the Annual Report and Audited Statement of Accounts.
To elect the President and other members of the Executive Committee at the triannual General Meeting of the Association, unless this election was already held during the year at a Special General Meeting called for the purpose
To appoint Auditor or Auditors and to fix their remuneration, if any;
To consider any other matter on the agenda

15. Advance Intimation Of AGM

A notice convening the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING shall be sent, together with the Agenda by the Secretary, to each Member at least fourteen days before the date of the meeting.
The notice of any motion to be proposed at the Annual General Meeting shall be sent to the Secretary at least 15 days in advance, so that it may be included in the agenda of a subsequent meeting.

16. Presiding at the Meeting of AGM

The President, and in his absence, the Vice-President, shall preside at such meeting. In the absence of both of them, those present shall elect one amongst themselves to preside.

17. Quorum For AGM

THE QUORUM shall be thirty members. In the event of there being no quorum at the time and place appointed for a General Meeting, the same may be held by those present to be adjourned at the same place to a time 15 minutes later on the same day. At such an adjourned meeting the business on the agenda may thereafter be transacted, even if there is no quorum.

18. Procedure At Meetings

Article 16 and 19 shall apply to all meetings, unless specifically mentioned otherwise

19. Procedure At Elections

All matters at any General Body Meeting, except the election of the President and elected 8 members of the Executive Committee, shall be determined by show of hands, or if challenged, by a division, and no voting by proxy shall be permitted.
Election of the President and Secretary shall be through a mail ballot
In case of equality of votes in both (a) and (b), the person presiding over the Meeting shall have a casting vote in addition to his own vote.

20. Returning Officer For Elections

The Executive Committee will decide on the appointment of returning officer(s), and the procedure for receiving and counting of votes etc. The returning officer shall be responsible for receiving nominations, sending out the ballots, receiving the responses, counting and announcement of results.

21. Special General Body Meeting Called BY Members

Twenty five (25) members of the Association may request the Secretary to call a Special General Meeting by a requisition in writing, stating the objective for which they desire that the meeting be called, and thereupon the Secretary shall proceed to do so after consultation with the Executive Committee. In the event of the Secretary failing to convene such meeting within 60 days of the receipt of the requisition, the members requesting the meeting may themselves convene a Special General Meeting on due notice.

22. Special General Body Meeting Called by TAA Executive Committee

Notwithstanding anything contained in Article 21, the Managing Committee shall be entitled to call a Special General Body Meeting for carrying out the purposes of these Articles and of the Association. The notice, quorum and all procedural aspects relating to such Special General Body Meeting shall be the same as those provided in these Articles, in respect of Annual General Body Meetings.

23. Amendments to The Constitution

Amendments to the Constitution of the Association as formulated in these Articles may be made from time to time by the General Body assembled in any Annual or Special General Body Meeting, provided there is always at least two-thirds of the members present and entitled to vote at a meeting shall vote in favor of such amendment.
Article 16 and 17 above shall be complied with for holding such Special General Body Meeting for consideration of any proposal of amendment. At such Meeting the QUORUM shall be thirty
Any proposal of amendment shall be circulated along with the notice convening the meeting for the purpose.

24. Dissolution OF The Association

A proposal for the dissolution of the Association shall be considered at a Special General Meeting called exclusively for the purpose, and shall be determined by not less than a three-quarters majority of the Members present and entitled to vote.
The QUORUM for such a meeting shall be one-third of the number of Members on the Register of the Association
The proposal, if carried by such a majority, shall be required to be confirmed by a like majority and a like quorum at a subsequent Special General Meeting, called exclusively for the purpose of confirmation, to be held not earlier than 60 days from the date of the previous meeting.
In the event of dissolution, the funds and assets of the Association shall be transferred to the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Endowment Fund.