8Functions and powers of Academy

(1) The Academy shall discharge its functions and exercise the following powers, namely:—

(i) to provide for instructions and conduct research in such branches of learning like natural sciences, life sciences, mathematical and computational sciences, medical sciences, engineering, applied art, humanities, social sciences, law relating to these areas and interfaces thereof, and in particular, in inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary areas of these branches, and in all such areas as may emerge in future and other emerging areas of knowledge, as the Academy may from time to time determine and make provision for advancement and dissemination of knowledge;

(ii) to lay administrative standards and structures and decide on all matters of creation of posts, laying down standards for recruitment, determining compensation packages, and contractual arrangements;

(iii) to design its curriculum and pedagogy for award of diplomas or certificates and confer degrees or other academic distinctions as it may deem fit;

(iv) to grant, subject to such conditions as the Academy may determine, diplomas or certificates and confer degrees or other academic distinctions on the basis of such methods of evaluation and to hold its examinations, as the Academy may, from time to time, determine and to withdraw any such diplomas, certificates, degrees or other academic distinctions for good and sufficient cause;

(v) to frame Statutes and Ordinances and to alter, modify or rescind the same;

(vi) to organise and undertake extramural studies, training and extension services;

(vii) to confer honorary degrees or other distinctions;

(viii) to provide distance education in such branches of learning and to such persons as it may determine;

(ix) to institute professorships, associate professorships and assistant professorships including Academy Professors, Professors of Eminence, Distinguished Professors, Outstanding Professors, Senior Professors, Emeritus Professors, or visiting positions and other teaching or academic or other positions, required by the Academy and to make appointments to such positions;

(x) to appoint persons from any other university, or institution, or industry, or persons of eminence from appropriate fields of studies, including those outside the country, as Faculty of the Academy;

(xi) to create administrative, ministerial and other posts and to make appointments thereto;

(xii) to co-operate or collaborate or associate with any body including, any university or institution, or industry, located in India or outside India;

(xiii) to establish such centres and specialised laboratories or other units for research and instruction as may be required;

(xiv) to set up schools, centres and campuses and function there from or conduct classes from any place of its choice, including the premises of laboratories or other centres of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research;

(xv) to institute and award fellowships, scholarships, studentships, medals and prizes;

(xvi) to conduct research, advisory and consultancy services with or for any entity, public or private, whether in India or outside India, which are in conformity with the spirit and object of the Academy;

(xvii) to engage scientists of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research as Faculty in imparting instruction and conducting research in the Academy;

(xviii) to establish, maintain and manage institutions and hostels for residence of students or establish and maintain such institutions through the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research or any other body;

(xix) to fix, demand and receive payment of fees and other charges;

(xx) to determine the standards of admission to the Academy, which may include examination, other innovative models of testing or evaluation;

(xxi) to supervise the residences of the students of the Academy and to make arrangements for promoting their health, general welfare, cultural and corporate life;

(xxii) to lay down conditions of service for all categories of employees, including their code of conduct;

(xxiii) to regulate and enforce discipline, among the students and employees and to take such disciplinary measures in this regard as may be necessary;

(xxiv) to make arrangements for promoting the health and general welfare of the employees;

(xxv) to receive grants, benefactions, donations, gifts, bequests and transfer or acquire, hold and manage and dispose of any property movable or immovable, including trust and endowment properties for the purposes of the Academy:

Provided that no such grants, benefactions, donations, gifts, bequests and transfer shall be accepted by the Academy which in the opinion of the Board involves conditions or obligations opposed to the spirit and object of this Act;

(xxvi) to borrow, on the security of property of the Academy or otherwise, money for the purposes of the Academy or utilise its property for such purposes as are in conformity with the spirit and object of this Act;

(xxvii) to do all such other acts and things as may be necessary, incidental or conducive to the attainment of all or any of its objects.

(2) In exercising its powers referred to in sub-section (1), it shall be the endeavour of the Academy to maintain an all India character and high standards of teaching and research, and, the Academy shall, among other measures which may be necessary for the said purpose, take, in particular, the following measures, namely:—

(i) subject to the provisions of section 9, the admission of students shall be made on merit;

(ii) continuous evaluation or other innovative methods of evaluation and choice based credit system may be introduced and the Academy may enter into agreements with other universities and academic institutions in India or outside India for credit transfer and joint degree programmes;

(iii) innovative courses and programmes of studies shall be introduced with a provision for periodic review and restructuring;

(iv) the imparting of instruction shall be, as far as may be, through use of modern techniques or technologies;

(v) the systems and structures of the Academy should be flexible to adapt to the requirements of multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary studies;

(vi) active participation of students may be ensured in governance of academic matters of the Academy.