heading
Indian Council for Cultural Relations (Visitors Programme Section)
Sub: Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for processing the proposals of Travel Grant for outgoing visitors.
Under its mandate to strengthen people-to-people contact between India and other countries, ICCR facilitates visits of performing/visual artistes, choreographers, curators, scholars, authors, academicians abroad to participate/perform in international events/festivals/seminars/conference or to give lectures/talk on the field of his/her expertise. The Council is in receipt of many proposals seeking approval of travel grants for outgoing visitors to attend the above programmes in foreign countries. Standard Operating Procedure for processing the proposals are as follows:
1. The proposals for travel grant should be received at least 3 months before the event.
2. The applicant should submit a two pages (maximum) note to justify the following points at the time of applying for travel grant for its consideration:-
a. How the participation of the visitor will benefit ICCR in accomplishing its institutional mission of enhancing global cultural relations.
b. How the participation of the visitor will benefit India’s interests in the country concerned.
c. How the participation of the visitor will benefit his/her artistic/professional growth.
d. Listing a few concrete objectives/ outcome of the visit.
3. The request of the participant will be evaluated on the basis of his/her credentials, field of expertise, theme of the project, credentials of the host organization and its willingness to acknowledge/publicize the support of ICCR.
4. The proposals may come through Missions, ICCR Zonal Office/Sub Zonal Offices or directly by the applicants. Application that are recommended by ICCR Zonal Offices may be accorded due priority.
5. Proposals will be forwarded to the concerned Mission for its recommendations and their views sought specifically on the points mentioned at S.N. 2 above. Proposals recommended by Missions may be further considered for approval of travel grant.
6. Applicant should have a valid passport at least for six months from the date of his/her proposed travel for the event/festival/conference/seminar/exhibition.
7. One time Economic class international return airfare for one sector only (from the nearest airport in India to the nearest airport of the event in other country in direct possible route) will be granted by ICCR to the visitor. Proposals of travel grant for one sector only may be taken into consideration. Wherever travel grant requests for multiple sectors received, proposal may be considered for one sector only
8. Other expenditure like lodging, boarding, passport, visa, local travel etc. will have to borne by either the visitor or event organizer.
9. There will be a 3 years cooling off period before another application for travel grant from the same beneficiary is considered.
10. The proposals may be processed by the concerned Sections of ICCR depending upon the type of event. The application may be examined by a Committee constituted for the purpose and subsequently considered by the Competent Authority of ICCR upon the recommendation of the Committee.
11. The final decision of the travel grant will be taken by a committee comprising concerned DDG and two nominees of the President, ICCR from amongst the GA members.
12. To the extent possible, multiple applications received within the period of 3 months may be screened by committee after clubbing them together.
13. The beneficiary will be required to submit a detailed report of his/her visit within one month after the visit along with some relevant photographs.
14. Applicant would ensure that ICCR is given due acknowledgement for its support for his/her participation by way of including a brief write-up in the publicity material.
15. Provision of Travel Grant will be purely at the discretion of ICCR for participation in any event/conferences keeping in view ICCR’s overall mandate, nature of the event, budgetary constraints etc.
16. ICCR reserves its right to accept or reject any application for Travel Grant without assigning any reason whatsoever. The applicant must sign an Undertaking in this regard as prescribed in the Application Form.
