Any organisation, which undertakes research involving handling of hazardous microorganisms and/or GE organisms or any potentially hazardous biological materials, shall establish an IBSC (Institutional Biosafety Committee) at institutional level to ensure that all research activities conducted comply with the guidelines notified by DBT under "Regulations and Guidelines on Biosafety of Recombinant DNA Research  and  Biocontainment, 2017" (attached at the end of the page). It is a statutory committee that operates from the premises of an organisation. It is in a unique position to conduct onsite evaluation, assessment and monitoring of adherence to the biosafety guidelines and provide overall oversight of the regulatory process at the institutional level. The  detail composition, role and functions of IBSC may be found in "Handbook for Institutional Biosafety Committees, 2020"( attached at the end of the page)

The IBSC of Cotton University has been constituted and registered with DBT with the following members.

Brief  guidelines for submitting application to IBSC

It is mandatory to intimate IBSC and get prior approval for undertaking any research work/project (including PhD/Dissertation/in-house research project) in the University involving rDNA technology, or any kind of genetic manipulation or any potentially hazardous biological materials. IBSC reviews such projects on a regular basis and ensure the safety part of it. On the basis of information provided by the concerned applicant, the IBSC would review the research work/project and may give approval to start the experiment or forward it to the Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM); Department of Biotechnology, (DBT), Government of India, New Delhi as and when required.

Submission of details of research work requiring IBSC approval

1. The applicant have to submit a duly signed hard copy of the application and supporting documents to the member secretary for approval in a given format (attached at the end of the page), prior to start the actual work.

2. While preparing the application, the applicant should note the following points

• For experiments involving rDNA or any hazardous biological materials or microorganisms, the required biosafety level as well as the Risk Group of organisms to be used must be mentioned as per guidelines in Chapter II of "Regulations and Guidelines on Biosafety of Recombinant DNA  Research  and  Biocontainment, 2017"
• The assignment of the Risk Group of any microorganism(s) being handled as part of the experimental protocol must be determined based on the information provided in Table 1 of chapter II of the above said guideline.
• The methodology to be used for decontamination and disposal of hazardous organisms or biological waste, if any, must be mentioned.
• The applicant is supposed to go through his/her responsibilities as specified in para 4.2(b) page 47 of the  "Handbook for Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBSCs),  2020"), (attached at the end of the page)
•  The submitted applications will be evaluated by IBSC for approval. The concerned applicant may be asked to present his/her research work/project work for approval as and when required.
•  IBSC may approve the project or may ask the applicant to forward the same through IBSC to the next higher competent authority for approval.
• The applicant may go to Indian Biosafety Knowledge portal (https://ibkp.dbtindia.gov.in/Registration/Index#) for more information.

For More details about BIOSAFETY please visit Indian Biosafety Knowledge portal (click here)

Contact Address:

Dr Raju Bharalee

Member Secretary, Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBSC)

Cotton University, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology

Mob: 9435547840

E-mail: rajub.bharalee@cottonuniversity.ac.in

Application format and Guidelines: