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What is the standard format for a research proposal in engineering sciences?

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Growing 115 pts 0 followers
National Institute of Technology Karnataka · Posted
Urban Planning Science Communication

My question

I have been collecting data for my thesis research and realized I may have an ethical issue. I surveyed 450 college students about their academic stress and mental health. The survey was anonymous, but I am now questioning whether I need IRB approval retroactively.

The situation:

  • The survey was done purely as pilot research before my formal thesis proposal
  • I used Google Forms and data was stored on my university Google Drive
  • No personally identifying information was collected
  • This is at an Indian university (not a US institution)

What are the ethics review requirements for student survey research in Indian universities? Is anonymous pilot data typically exempt?

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4 Replies

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Karthik Rajan Growing 180 pts · Accepted answer

Highly recommend checking out the PMRF portal for the actual numbers.they update the stipend structure annually.

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Divya Krishnan Growing 85 pts · Accepted answer

I am in a very similar situation. Would you be willing to share the outline of your PMRF proposal? Not the content.just the section headings and approximate word allocation.

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Priya Nair · Accepted answer

This question comes up a lot. The answer really depends on your specific field and what your committee values.

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Uday Bose Starting 5 pts · Accepted answer

The ethics review situation in Indian universities is actually more complex than most people realize.

There is no uniform national framework equivalent to the US Common Rule. Each institution has its own Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) or Institutional Review Board (IRB).

For anonymous survey research with no identifiable data and no vulnerable populations: most Indian IECs would classify this as exempt, but 'exempt' still needs a formal determination from the IEC.it is not self-certifying.

My practical advice: go to your institution's research ethics office now, describe what you did, and request an exempt determination in writing. Better to have documentation than to discover the issue during thesis review.