Invite nominations for E.K.JANAKI AMMAL NATIONAL AWARD ON TAXONOMY 2013 < 31.10.2014

E. K. JANAKI AMMAL NATIONAL AWARD ON

TAXONOMY FOR THE YEAR 2013

The Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change

invites applications from Taxonomists with outstanding

contribution for conferring three Awards, one each in the field

of Plant Taxonomy, Animal Taxonomy and Microbial

Taxonomy for the year 2013.

Details of the Award are available on the Ministry’s website:

http://moef.nic.in

The last date for receipt of nominations is 31.10.2014

Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change

Government of India

REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE E.K.JANAKI AMMAL NATIONAL

AWARD ON TAXONOMY

1. PREAMBLE

Biological diversity refers to the variability in the living organisms and the

ecosystems of which they form part. Preservation of biological diversity is

vital for maintaining ecological balance and for evolutionary processes. It

has direct bearing on food security, agriculture, medicine, industry etc. The

advances in biotechnology and development of products based on the use

of biological resources are increasingly becoming motivating factor for

greater use of biological resources.

Taxonomy is the science of identification, classification and naming of living

organisms. Taxonomic work involves study of morphological characteristics

and phylogenetic relationship of organisms which is essential for applied

biological sciences, such as medicine, agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

Development of biotechnologies and their industrial applications depend

heavily on taxonomy. Current requirements of taxonomic work and available

expertise and studies indicate urgent need for encouraging excellence and

for motivating experts to work in hitherto neglected groups of organisms e.g.

microbes, lower groups of plants, animals etc. The challenge is quite

serious, as while the existing expertise is ageing and retiring, not many

young scholars are opting for studies in taxonomy.

In order to encourage work of excellence in taxonomy and also to

encourage young students and scholars to work in this field of science, this

award, named after the late Prof. E. K. Janaki Ammal was instituted in the

year 1999. Late Prof. Janaki Ammal did taxonomic work of outstanding merit

and excellence, particularly in the area of cytotaxonomy and has been a

source of inspiration to many young scientists.

Initially there was one Award on Taxonomy covering all the three fields viz

Botany, Zoology and study of Micro-organisms. From 2005, it was decided

to enlarge the scope of the Award and increase the number of Awards to

two, one each for excellence in Plant and Animal Taxonomy. As per

approved SFC Memo, it has now been decided to continue this award and

have three awards one each for Plant Taxonomy, Animal Taxonomy and

Microbial Taxonomy during the XII Plan and subsequent Plans

The three Awards will be known as ‘E.K. Janaki Ammal National Award on

Plant Taxonomy’, ‘E.K. Janaki Ammal National Award on Animal Taxonomy’

and ‘E. K. Janaki Ammal National Award on Microbial Taxonomy’.

2. CONFERNMENT OF AWARD

The award would be announced on any noteworthy occasion during 2014

3. PROCESSING OF THE AWARD

(a) Invitation of nominations from various,

Institutions etc.                                                 : 01.08.2014

(b) Last date for receiving nominations            : 31.10.2014

(c) Scrutiny of nominations received                : November, 2014 end

(d) Meeting of the Selection Committee           : During December, 2014

(f) Conferment of the award                              : At any noteworthy occasion

                                                                              during 2014-15

4. NATURE OF AWARD

Each award will carry `1,00,000/- (` One lakh Only) in cash along with a

citation, scroll and Medallion. The Awards will be given to the Taxonomists

selected by a Selection Committee constituted for this purpose.

5. ELIGIBILITY

Any Indian taxonomist engaged in Taxonomic research work on flora, fauna

or microorganisms in the country is eligible for the award. There will be no

age limit. The following is a list of illustrative, eligibility criteria for the award:

a) Outstanding contribution in the area of taxonomic revision of

species/genus/family/order;

b) Outstanding original contribution in the area of taxonomic

monographic work (assessment of overall aspects of knowledge of

species/genus/family/order);

c) Ability to recognize new taxa as evident by discovery of new

species/genus;

d) Outstanding experimental work in areas such as cytotaxonomy,

molecular taxonomy, chemotaxonomy etc.

e) Research experience in the field of taxonomy in terms of number of

years spent in taxonomic research and teaching;

f) Experience in research guidance in taxonomy in terms of number of

M. Phil and Ph.D. theses guided;

g) Number of research publications, such as original research papers,

books and contribution in symposia and workshops at National and

International level.

6. PROCEDURE FOR SUBMISSION OF NOMINATIONS

(a) Nominations for the Awards will be invited from the concerned Vice-

Chancellors, Heads of Institutions, and Members of the Selection

Committee and from the previous awardees. Adequate publicity in

National Papers will be given for inviting nominations each year.

Advertisement will also be released in Current Science, Rheedea,

Bulletins of ZSI & BSI and other relevant widely read science

journals.

(b) The candidates should apply through the institutions and experts

referred to at 6(a) above.

(c ) Nominations received for the Award will be valid for the year for

which they have been made. Past nominations will not be carried

forward. A person not selected for the Award for a particular year can

be re-nominated in future years with an updated CV of the candidate.

(d) Adequate publicity will be given for inviting nominations each year.

Advertisement will appear in National Print Media, and also put on the

Ministry’s web-site.

(a) The nominations must be made in the prescribed format (Annex- I).

The nominations should be sent in a registered sealed cover marked

“E. K. Janaki Ammal National Award on Taxonomy” to Dr. G. V.

Subrahmanyam, Adviser, Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate

Change, Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, Jor Bagh Road, Aliganj, New

Delhi–110003. These can also be submitted through e-mail, and hard

copies of Annexures can be separately submitted. However, the

application, complete in all respects, must be received by the

indicated deadline, or the extended deadline, as the case may be.

7. NATIONAL TAXONOMY AWARD SELECTION COMMITTEE

The nominations received will be placed before a Selection Committee

constituted as follows for selecting the awardees:

(i) Secretary (E&F)                                                   : Chairman

(ii) Additional Secretary(Conservation)                    : Member

(iii) Director General, CSIR or his nominee, not

below the rank of JS                                                : Member

(iv) Director General, ICAR or his nominee, not

below the rank of JS                                                : Member

(v) Director, Botanical survey of India                      : Member

(vi) Director, Zoological Survey of India                   : Member

(vii)-(ix)Three eminent taxonomists to be nominated : Member

by MoEF so as to represent various branches of

Taxonomy such as cytotaxonomy, chemotaxonomy,

Molecular taxonomy etc.

(x) Adviser in-charge of AICOPTAX Scheme             : Member –Secretary

The recommendations of the Selection Committee of E.K. Janaki Ammal

Award on Taxonomy shall be submitted to Hon’ble Minister, Environment

and Forests for approval.

8. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

The Selection Committee would, among other things, keep in view:

(a) Originality and outstanding nature of the contribution to taxonomy;

(b) Promotion of taxonomic research;

(c) Training to Students; and

(d) Motivation provided by the applicant by way of guidance to Scholars

for conferment of Ph. D or D.Sc.

9. ANNOUNCEMENT OF AWARD

The award will be announced through Print Media & Web-site well advance

in time of a given year. The Government reserves the right to withhold the

award in any year, if it is felt that no meritorious nomination is received.

Those who have received this award in the previous years shall not be

eligible for consideration again.

                                                   * * * * *

                                                             ANNEXURE – I

PROFORMA FOR NOMINATION FOR E. K. JANAKI AMMAL NATIONAL AWARD

ON TAXONOMY 2013.

01. Award applied for :

02. Name and address of the nominee :

03. Date and Place of birth :

04. Academic qualifications(Bachelor’s

degree onwards with University,

year and subjects) :

05. Field of specialization :

06. Significant contribution :

a) Taxonomic revision

b) Monographic work

c) New species/genus discovered

d) Research/teaching experience in taxonomy

e) Details of M.Phil/Ph.D thesis guided in taxonomy

f) Any other details

07. Publications/periodicals etc. wherein the work has been referred to give

citation index of the contribution as follows:

(i)

(ii)

08. Enclose a complete list of publications along with the list of Standard

Journals in which published.

09. Details of Peer-reviewed Articles/Research Papers.

10. Any additional information of relevance.

                                                                               (Signature of the nominee)

Place:

Date:

Remarks of the VC/Head of Institution/Expert recommending the application

                                                        (Signature of the recommending authority)