TPSC Homepage

1.	Object:
	To promote collaboration and sharing of research ideas and results between different research centres in India. Locations of the Participating Centres and Associate Centres

	S.N. BOSE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR BASIC SCIENCES , KOLKATA TATA INSTITUTE OF FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH, MUMBAI SCHOOL OF PHYSICS, UNIVERSITY OF HYDERABAD , HYDERABAD INSTITUTE OF MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES, CHENNAI INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS, BHUBANESWAR INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, KANPUR PHYSICAL RESEARCH LABORATORY, AHMEDABAD DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS and ASTROPHYSICS, UNIVERSITY OF DELHI INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE, BANGALORE
	For practical reasons, in regions where many institutions arelocated, only one is included. Some institutions in cities close to aparticular TPSC centre (upto a few hours by road or rail) are associated to the TPSC Centre in question. At present, the following are the Associate Centres :
	University of Pune to Mumbai Centre; Cochin University of Science and Technology to Chennai Centre; Bharathidasan University to Chennai Centre; Visva-Bharati to Calcutta Centre; North Eastern Consortium to Calcutta Centre; Mehta Research Institute for Mathematics and Mathematical Physics to Kanpur Centre Banaras Hindu University to Kanpur Centre; Panjab University, Chandigarh to Delhi Centre; University of Roorkee to Delhi Centre; and Berhampur University to Bhubaneswar Centre
	The Associate Centres are expectred to report their financial matters as well as academic activities to their respective centres. However, if they wish, they may report their financial matters directly to the coordinating centre in which case they should send a copy of their statements to their respective centres. Interests of other nearby institutions can be taken into account as discussed below. The term `theoretical physics' will be interpreted liberally.

2.	Operational Details:
	2.1	The TPSC Coordinating Committee and Sub-Committee:
		The TPSC Coordinating Committee will be located at the S N Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Calcutta. TPSC will have a sub-committee at each participating centre. Every participating centre should endeavour to include in its sub-committee representatives of institutions in its vicinity to the extent feasible.

	2.2	Proposal and Selection of TPSC Speakers :
		Anyone in India or visiting India (irrespective of status: student to professor) whose recent work is potentially stimulating may be selected by the TPSC coordinating committee as a TPSC speaker. Each TPSC sub-committee will consider applications and suggestions from anyone regarding TPSC speakers and forward its nominations to the coordinating committee for final selection. In addition to this continuous time process there will be meetings, at least once in two years and location decided by mutual consultation, attended by one member for each sub-committee to discuss selection of TPSC speakers and other details. The names of TPSC speakers selected will be communicated by the coordinating committee to all the participating centres and to all the selected TPSC speakers.

	a)	Mode of Selection:
		The list of category A speakers is prepared by compiling nominations from various centres. For category B, at least two nominations other than the home centre is required for the name to get into the list. The lists of categories A and B speakers are valid for one and two consecutive financial years respectively. If a speaker is unable to make TPSC visits in the entire duration of the offer, then the name can be carried forwarded to the next list provided the name is renominated. In such cases the speaker has to inform the coordinating centre that TPSC funds were not used by him/her. Each participating centre would have the option of using up to 40 % of its funds to invite anyone they wish, including speakers from the current list. The names of these invitees should be conveyed to all the other centres, so that they may also invite these speakers if they wish. For speakers invited in this way, we shall not insist on a minimum of two centres, but the other TPSC rules will apply. Also, these speakers can be considered in the following TPSC list. For collaborative research, TPSC funds can be used to pay for longer visits of upto 30 days provided D.A. is paid @ Rs. 300/- per day for the period beyond first five days. The D.A. for these first five days will be @ Rs. 400/- per day as mentioned in para 4.

	b)	Categories A and B :
		Students working for a Ph.D., permanent job holders with less than 4 years experience after Ph.D. and Ph.D.s without a permanent job fall into Category A. Category B consists of all others. As a guideline, about 20% of all funds should be reserved for Category A. This may also help in the exploration of job opportunities.

	2.3	Choice of Institutions Visited and Duration of Visits :
		Each TPSC sub-committee will invite according to its own choice some of the selected TPSC speakers to visit their centre. Neighbouring institutions may then also invite the TPSC speaker if they so desire and make the necessary local arrangements. Each selected TPSC speaker may also correspond with TPSC centres that he/she may specially like to visit. A TPSC speaker may visit a maximum of four of the participating centres from which invitations are received, either directly or through the speaker's initiative. In the case of speakers in category B opting to travel by Air/AC First Class the visit should form a single circuit covering a minimum of two centres originating and terminating at the same point. However, they may visit single centres by train, limited to First Class/AC II fares. All TPSC speakers may stay a minimum of three and a maximum of five days at each centre out of TPSC funds. In case a speaker visits a centre and also its associate centre, he /she can spend a maximum of 5 days at each of them. The minimum duration of the visit should still be 3 days, taking into account for this purpose time spent at all the institutions associated to a given centre. The itinerary will be fixed by the TPSC speaker in consultation with the institutions visited.

	2.4	Financial Support Offered to Invited TPSC Speaker :
		The invitee will be offered local hospitality upto five days at each centre visited at the rate of Rs. 400/- per day and travel expenses. The travel expenses will consist of airfare for the circuit and taxi fares for Category B visitors. In order to benefit a larger number of young scientists Category A visitors however will be paid travel expenses not exceeding First Class/AC II train fare for the circuit as well as actual taxi fares incurred, as approved by the Conveners. But Category A speaker visiting the North-East may cover Calcutta-North-East sector by air. This also applies to Category B speakers visiting the North-East irrespective of number of centres they cover in the circuits. In addition, speakers from the North-East can avail this facility in their TPSC visits to other centres.

	2.5	Mode of Payment to Invitees and Accounting of Expenditures :
		Each host institution will pay the seminar speaker local hospitality at the rate mentioned in paragraph 2.a and 4 from the grant-in-aid received from the S N Bose National Centre. It will also arrange its own guest house or other equivalent inexpensive accommodation not exceeding 50% of D.A., that is, Rs. 150/- per day. The accommodation charges will be borne by the speaker. However, at places where the accommodation charges exceed this rate, the Centre may pay the excess amount, but in no case beyond Rs. 100/- per day from the TPSC grant. The travel expenses consisting of air or train fares mentioned in paragraph 4 will be shared equally by all the participating institutions visited by the TPSC speaker. Each TPSC centre will also pay actual taxi fares from the starting station of the speaker upto that centre minus what was already paid by the previous centres visited; in addition, the last TPSC centre visited will also pay actual taxi fares from the centre upto the starting station of the speaker. Each participating institution must pay its share of the TA and DA to the TPSC speaker during his visit. The accounting of the expenditure to the S N Bose National Centre will be done independently by each participating Centre (to be signed by the Convener and the appropriate authorities of the host institution). Each centre is allowed to spend upto 5% of its budget for administrative expenses. However, for the Centres whose 5% of the grant is below Rs. 2000.00, the administrative expenses may go upto Rs. 2000.00.

	2.6	Information Exchange :
	a)	The TPSC coordinating committee will be in touch with the sub-committees to exchange scientific information

	b)	Any member of the TPSC sub-committees who learns of a visit to India by a distinguished theoretical physicist from abroad can inform the coordinating committee in advance so that the possibility of inviting him/her as a TPSC speaker can be considered.