Constitution

Rules & Regulations:

(updated till 30th November 2021)

1. Name: The name of the society shall be “Indian Cartilage Society” hereinafter called the Society in these rules & regulations. Indian Cartilage Society is a registered society under Bombay Trust Act and works under the trust as per the act.

2. The Objects:
2.1 To provide a forum for the doctors and paramedical people who are interested in the management of articular cartilage pathology in India & abroad.
2.2 To carry out academic activities for the betterment of its members.
2.3 To promote cartilage repair & regeneration techniques in India.
2.4 To create awareness regarding prevention of cartilage damage in young and old population.

3. Membership:
3.1 Membership Types:
a. Founder Life Member
b. Life Member
c. Associate Life Member
d. Post Graduate Member
e. Honorary Fellow
f. International Member

The term “Members” hereinafter used shall refer to founder Life Members and Life members.

3.2 Membership Eligibility:
a. Founder Life Member: First 25 life members enrolled in the society shall be called the Founder Life Member.
b. Life Member: Orthopedic Surgeons, who have acquired postgraduate qualification in Orthopeadic Surgery or medical personnel registered with Medical Council of India and engaged in Orthopedics practice exclusively.
c. Associate Life Member: These members shall be able to attend society meetings but will not have voting rights. A candidate from profession other than Orthopedic Surgery (eg Scientist, Pathologists, Cell Biologist, Physiotherapist etc) is eligible to become Associate Life Member only if he/ she has a special interest in Cartilage related conditions (Cartilage Surgery, Cartilage care and its management), on payment of full life membership fees. These members shall be able to attend society meetings but will not have voting rights.
d. Post-Graduate member: Postgraduate trainee of student in Orthopeadic Surgery or Pathology, is eligible to be Member under this category for period of three years or till he obtains postgraduate degree in Orthopaedic or Pathology, which ever is attained earlier.
e. Honorary Fellow: Any distinguished person who has made outstanding contribution to the progress of cartilage repair in India may be elected as Honorary Fellow by a special resolution adopted by the General Body of the Society.
f. International Member: He should not have any voting right, and will not be eligible to attend GBM. The fee should be 200USD for SAARC nations and 300USD for non-SAARC nations. The International member will be eligible of ICS-Domestic Fellowships.

Those desirous of the membership of the Society under any category (except honorary Fellow) must apply in the prescribed form of the society.

For all the categories of the membership of the Society, the names recommended by the Executive Committee after proper scrutiny shall be considered eligible to be admitted as member under appropriate category of the membership of the society.

Admission to all categories of membership of the society shall be confirmed by the General Body on the recommendations of the Executive Committee, by a simple majority.

4. Obligations: All the Member of the Society shall observe high standard of medical ethics and behavior and shall also uphold the traditions and dignity of the society by their conduct, behavior and character.

5. Rights and Privileges:
5.1 Members of all categories of the Society shall be entitled to participate in all scientific and cultural activities of the Society.
5.2 Founder Life Member and Life Member shall be entitled to constitute and vote at a Business General Body Meeting of the Society.
5.3 Only Founder Life Members and Life Members shall be entitled to contest for election to the executive committee.
5.4 Founder life members may enjoy certain benefits declared by the society from time to time, in recognition of their faith put in the society when it just started.

6. Subscription:
6.1 Subscription for each category of the membership of the Society shall be determined from time to time by the Executive Committee and approved by a simple majority at General Body Meeting.
6.2 Registration fees for attending scientific and cultural meetings may be required to be paid, should that be considered necessary if and when necessary.

7. Cessation of Membership:
7.1 Any Member wishing to withdraw his membership from the Society shall give notice in writing to the Secretary.
7.2 Any member of the society whose resignation is requested by Executive Committee on finding the conduct of the Member contrary to the interest of the Society or to have ceased to take interest in the object and activities of the Society or to have been disobedient to the rules or guilty of unprofessional act, shall be notified of the proposed action at least eight weeks before the Business Meeting at which the proposed action is to be considered. He shall have the right to appear to the next Business Meeting of the Executive Committee, provided he makes written application to the Secretary within 14 days of receiving the notice of the proposed action. On recommendation for termination of the Membership by Executive Committee, all the Members shall be intimated at the next Annual General Body Meeting and such recommendation shall be proposed as resolution for voting at the Annual General Body Meeting. The resolution shall be void and of no effect, unless passed by two-third valid votes of the Members present at the Annual General Body Meeting if the proposition is carried out, notice shall be given to the suspended Member by President or Secretary, terminating his membership of the Society.

8. Accounts and Finance:
8.1 The Financial year of the Society shall be from 1st April to 31st March.
8.2 The accounts of the Society shall be maintained in the name of the Society at a Bank authorized by the Executive Committee.
8.3 The treasurer or appointed CA shall have charges of all money and assets of the society.
8.4 All the property and money shall be invested in the name of the society.
8.5 The payment of the subscription and /or donation shall be made to the Treasurer or appointed CA. The accounts of the Society shall be audited annually.
8.6 No member of any Committee or Sub-Committee shall incur any expenses on behalf of the Society except with the permission of the President &/ or Secretary &/ or Executive committee.
8.7 The account of the Society shall be operated jointly by the Treasurer and any three members of the Executive Committee, or as directed by a resolution of General Body passed by simple majority.

9. Scientific Meetings:
9.1 The Scientific Meetings will be arranged according to the decision by the Executive Committee. The format of such meetings will be recommended by Executive Committee to the Organizing Secretary.
a. The ICS congress is held annually.
b. Congress done by ICS itself with a Congress Secretary & Team.
c. Congress Secretary should become a member of EC from 1st April of the year prior to the congress year date.
d. Core Committee of the Congress is formed by the Founder, President, Society Secretary, Congres Secretary, Some EC member + ICS members.
1. Non-ICS member cannot be a Core Committee member.
2. Congress Secretary can prepare his local team as working committee members, but not as core committee for the Congress.
Accounting for the Congress should be as follows.
e. Strictly, no separate account for the Congress.
f. Audited accounts should be ready by March end, before Congress Secretary exit.
g. Distribution of earnings from the conference should be as follows.
1. 10 % goes as seed money for next year’s conference, to be accounted back later.
2. 20 % goes for Formation/ Development of Local Cartilage Club by Local Organizing Secretary. This club should be a subchapter and reporting to ICS.
3. 70% remains with ICS for its educational activities and office expenses.
h. Free ICS registration can be offered to those members who joined ICS before the start of the previous congress. However, implementation of free registration should be on the discretion of local organizing body based on their finances.
9.2 All the accounts and the surplus money of such meetings shall be submitted by the Organizing
Secretary to the Executive Committee within 3 months.

10. General Body Meeting:
10.1 Only Founder Life Members, Life Members, Associate Life Member & Honorary Fellows shall be eligible to attend the Business Meeting. However, Founder Life Members & Life Members shall have voting rights. The Business Meeting shall be called at the time of Annual Academic Meeting & also on such occasions as may be decided by the Executive Committee.
10.2 The President shall call Extra Ordinary General Body Meeting within 21 days of receiving a request signed by not less than 30% Members eligible to vote, specifying the nature of business. The President and Secretary also can call such meeting on concurrence of Executive Meeting. No other business other than specified shall be discussed at such meeting.
10.3 40% of members of the Society shall form the quorum. In case of ongoing conference, 40% of registered members for the conference shall form the Quorum.
10.4 Extra Ordinary General Body Meeting adjourned for want of quorum, shall be reconvened after 15 minutes and the Members present shall constitute the quorum.
10.5 Requisition General Body Meeting shall lapse for want of quorum and cannot be reconvened if adjourned once for want of quorum.
10.6 The agenda for GBM shall include…
a) Election of the Office Bearers and Members of the Society.
b) Adoption of the Annual/ Biannual Report of the Secretary.
c) Adoption of audited statement of the accounts.
d) Consideration of the matters mentioned in the agenda for a General Body Meeting, determined by the Executive Committee in conformity with the Rules & Regulations and shall include any matter deferred at the last General Body Meeting.
e) Executive Committee shall decide the date, time and place and send the notices of the Annual General Body meeting to the Members at least 21 days in advance.
f) Any member of the Society who wishes to move a formal resolution (other than the resolution recommended by the Executive Council shall give a notice in writing to the Secretary and shall submit a copy of such resolution at least 10 days before the date of the Meeting.
g) Confirmation of the minutes of the previous Meeting.
h) Confirming the appointment of the auditor and his remuneration.

11. Executive Committee:
11.1. Composition of Executive Office: The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, Secretary, Fellowship secretary, Treasurer, Congress secretary, Three other elected members, Immediate Past President (Ex-Officio), Immediate Past Secretary (Ex-Officio), Founder of the Society, Founder President and Founder secretary. All officers shall be Honorary.
11.2. Duration of Executive Office: The Executive Committee shall be elected at the time of General Body Meeting and its Members will hold office as per the duration detailed below:

11.4. Eligibility: Only Founder Life Members and Life Members who are not defaulter of payment of dues shall be deemed eligible for membership of the Executive Committee.

11.5. Succession plan for ICS executives.
a. The Congress Secretary of the annual congress will be called Congress Secretary for the year.
b. Congress Secretary shall become Treasurer of the society from 1st April of next year (the year next to the congress being held).
c. As Congress Secretary becomes Treasurer, existing Treasurer becomes fellowship secretary.
d. Fellowship secretary becomes Society Secretary, as society secretary takes over the post of President, as soon as President retires from his term.
e. There should be election for the posts of Three Executive Committee members and one post of Congress Secretary during annual congress of ICS.

f. Executive Committee Member shall not be eligible for re-election for more than two consecutive terms.
g. The term of ICS office: The term means from 1st April to 31st march of the next year. If ICS congress is held biannually then the term will be biannual. However, if the congress is held annually then the term will be annual. If GBM is held yearly than term means time ‘between two yearly General Body Meeting’, irrespective of ICS congress. However, by no means term should be less than one year.

12. Election:
12.1. Election of the Executive Committee shall be held during the Annual General Body Meeting. Only the Founder Life Members and Life Members shall be eligible to vote.
12.2. Nominations for the election of the office bearers shall be invited at least 3 weeks before the meeting when the election will be held. Nominations will be allowed to be filed within 10 days.
12.3. Should there be number of nominations of eligible candidates less than the number of vacancies of the office bearers of the Society, election shall be held from the floor.
12.4. Should the number of the eligible candidates be more than the number of the vacancies, adequate number of the candidates to the Executive Committee for the respective categories shall be elected by ballot? In event of tie, the President will draw a lot.
12.5. The Past President of the society shall serve as the Returning Officer for the election. He shall carry out the secret ballot in a democratic way.
12.6. There should be election for the posts of Three Executive Committee members and one post of Congress Secretary during biannual/ annual congress of ICS.

13. Powers, Functions, Duties of the Executive Committee:
13.1. The Management of the Society shall vest in the Executive Committee of the Society.
13.2. The Executive Committee shall have power to fill up casual vacancies amongst the officers for the duration of the present incumbent, subject to confirmation at the next Business Meeting.
13.3. The Executive Committee shall control the affairs of the Society, its funds and assets. The income and property of the society, howsoever derived shall be spent solely towards the objects of the Society and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly for any other purpose except for (i) the purpose of providing scholarships and fellowships to be offered for competition amongst the Members of the Society (ii) as gift to the Orthopaedic Charitable, Education and other Trusts of the Society. The ICS EC must see that the fellow must attend the next ICS congress, submit and present his fellowship report in GBM or congress; to be eligible for any benefit of ICS fellowship program.
13.4. The Executive Committee shall have power to request the resignation of a Member deemed to be guilty of conduct contrary to the interest of the Society or to have ceased to take interested in the objects of the Society or to have been disobedient to the Rules and guilty of the unprofessional act of public misdemeanor, provided that the person concerned shall be notified of the proposed action not less than eight weeks before the next Business Meeting.
13.5. The Executive Committee shall have power to remit, reduce or suspend the subscription of any Member at its discretion.
13.6. Without prejudice to the power of the General Body of the Society, the Executive Committee may exercise powers, functions and duties as under…
a) To appoint committees, commissions and sub-committees and delegate such of the functions and powers to them as it may deem necessary.
b) To co-opt Member, associate or any other person to any committee.
c) To appoint delegates to represent the Society at Conference in India and abroad with out any financial assistance.
d) To purchase, build or acquire and hold land, building, machineries, plants, furniture’s, vehicles, books and other equipments that may be necessary in furtherance of the function and duties of the Society for and the name of the Society.
13.7 To receive donations and benefactions for and in the name of the Society.
13.8 To constitute Trusts, Foundations for specific activities of the Society.
13.9 To arrange scholarships and fellowships.
13.10 To appoint an auditor and fix his remuneration.
13.11 To do all such acts and exercise all such powers as may be necessary in furtherance of the objects of the Society.
13.12 The Executive Committee may invite a member or a non-member for its deliberations on a specific issue. Such invitee member shall have no voting right.

14. Duties and Powers of the Officers:
President: He shall preside over the meetings of the Executive Committee and other Scientific and Business Meetings, functions and seminars etc., convinced by or on behalf of the Society. He shall deliver a Presidential Lecture, one year after completion of his term. President shall be ex-officio member of all Committee and Subcommittees.

In absence of the President, Executive Committee shall elect a Chairman for any particular meeting or for remaining term of office. Till Executive committee elects new President, Secretary should take up the responsibilities of the society. President if resigning during his tenure, shall submit his registration to the Secretary.

Secretary: The Secretary shall be responsible for the organization and execution of all policies and programs of the Society and shall submit his reports at the meeting of the Executive Committee regarding thereto. He shall also present the Annual Report at the Annual Meeting of the Society giving a general overview of the work of the Society in the preceding year.

He shall prepare and keep the minutes of all the Business Meetings of the Society and Meetings of the Executive Committee and see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of the rules and byelaws. He will circulate the accounts for the year along with the minutes of the last Annual General Body Meeting along with the notices of the next Annual Body Meeting.

He shall be custodian of the Seal of the Society and other associated items, all documents and the papers of the Society. He will sign and execute all contracts or other instruments in the name of the Society and shall exercise general supervision over the affairs of the Society. He shall be ex-officio member of all committee and sub-committee of the Society.

He shall prepare a current voters list of all the Members of the Society within the first quarter of each year. Secretary, if resigning during the tenure, shall submit his resignation to the President.

Treasurer: He will keep accounts of the Society. He shall present the Annual audited accounts of the previous year at the Annual General Body Meeting. He shall present the Budget for the next year at the Annual General Body Meeting. All cheque and other negotiable instruments shall be signed by the Treasurer and any one of the Secretary or President. During his absence the President will delegate in writing his duties to any other member of the Executive Committee. Treasurer, if resigning during his tenure, shall submit his resignation to the President.

15. Sub-Committee: The Executive Committee may appoint a Sub-Committee from among the Members of the Society for the Specific function. The President and Secretary will be ex-officio members of all such SubCommittees. The work of such Committees shall be reviewed by the Executive Committee at least once every year and the Progress Report submitted to the General Body. A statement of Accounts of all bodies created by the Executive Committee shall form a part of the Annual Accounts.

16. Amendment of Constitution and Rules: The Rules and the Regulation shall be amended by vote of at least two third of the eligible members present, voting and voting validity at a meeting specially convened for the purpose. Secretary shall dispatch a notice of such a meeting and every proposed alteration to every member eligible to vote, not less than 21 days before the date of the meeting and no rule shall be amended unless such notice has been given.

17. Indemnity: Neither the office bearers nor members of the Executive Committee nor Members of the Society shall be answerable for any act done in good faith by them for the sake of conformity only, for the monies nominees of the Society other than such as shall come into their own hands or for any collections or receiver of monies, appointed by the Executive Committee concerned for any misfortune, loss or damage happening to the Society by reason of an deed executed by them as an office bearer or a member of the Executive Committee or member of the Society or any reason of any error in judgment or mere indiscretion on their part in the performance of their duties or otherwise on account except for willful negligence or fraud. Every person being an office bearer or a member of the Executive Committee or a member of the Society, his heirs, executors and administrations shall at all times be indemnified out of the funds of the Society from and against all costs, losses damages and or expenses whatsoever, incurred or sustained by him in the execution of the Executive Committee or a member of the Society, his heirs, executors and administrator shall be indemnified and saved harmless out of the funds of the Society against all action, suits, claims and demands whatsoever brought or made against him or them either separately or jointly in respect of any engagement of the Society such as may be incurred by his own personal willful.

18. Dissolution: Not less than three fifth of the Founder Life Member and Life Member of the Society may determine at a meeting, specially convened for the purpose, that it shall be dissolved and there upon it shall be dissolved forthwith or at any time agreed upon, and all necessary steps shall be taken by the Executive Committee for the disposal and settlement of the property of the Society. The claims and liabilities, according to the Rules of the Society, the adjustment of affairs shall be referred to the Principal court of the original civil jurisdiction of the Ahmedabad District and the court shall make such order in the matter as it shall deem required.

If on the dissolution of the Society there remains after satisfaction of its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever the same shall not be paid or distributed among the members of the Society but shall be given or transferred to some other institution or institutions having the object of the advancement of medial sciences and art, such institution or institutions to be determined by the three fifth of the Members of the Society at or before the time of dissolution and if and so far as effect cannot be given to such provision then to some other charitable object.

19. All duly elected members of the Society shall be deemed to have read and understood the constitution of the Society, upon election.
20. All the provisions of the Societies Registration Act (1860) as amended from time to time shall apply to the Society.

21. Travelling Guidelines for ICS
21.1. Executive Committee Members
Executive committee member’s travel should be reimbursed with economy class airfare if they travel for preparation of the congress to the city where congress is to be held. This stands true not only for the congresses, but also for smaller meetings like consensus meeting, cartilage club meetings or any other meeting that is related to ICS and requires Executive Committee participation. The number of EC members required to travel, and their frequency should be decided by organizing committee or executive committee from time to time as the case may be. However, it should be morally correct for the EC members to claim reimbursement if actually needed for the benefit of the society. No unwanted travel should be encouraged by anyone. For example, a maximum of two visits by some of the EC members in a year preceding the congress should be enough. It may be a good idea to organize a visit by few of the EC members and not all of them. If two EC members are from same city and can share the agenda, then only one may go and not all.

EC members invited for EC meeting can also claim reimbursement if they are invited specially/ exclusively for the purpose of the meeting. However, if EC members meet on the occasion of some other meeting where EC members were supposed to be present anyway, then travel reimbursement cannot be done. For example, if EC meeting is conveyed for some important agenda that cannot be done online and requires physical presence of EC members; then travel reimbursement should be done. However, if EC is meeting along with IAS conference than no reimbursement should be done.

Executive members of ICS cannot claim travel reimbursement for the annual/ biennial congress because as such they should be attending the Main Congress of the society.

21.2. Members of the ICS (Non-Executive Members)
Members of ICS can claim travel reimbursement if they are invited by the EC or Organizing committee for smaller group meetings or committee meetings like cartilage club meetings, consensus meetings etc as a faculty. This reimbursement can only be done if they are invited as a faculty, committee member or for any specific discussion. This is not for members attending as delegates.

Members invited to a third-party congress as part of ICS project can also claim travel reimbursement but only if they were not supposed to be attending that meeting irrespective of ICS invitation. For example, if ICS is organizing a session in a radiology conference and if that radiology conference is not providing travel reimbursement to ICS faculty, then ICS can do that. However, if ICS is organizing a session in IAS meeting, than reimbursement cannot be done for an arthroscopy/ orthopedic surgeon because as such he is getting benefit from that conference or he is supposed to attend that meeting as an arthroscopist. But a cell biologist coming to IAS conference as ICS guest can claim travel reimbursement. Similarly, a radiologist member cannot claim travel reimbursement for a radiology conference, even though he is attending as ICS faculty.

Members of ICS cannot claim travel reimbursement if they are invited as a faculty for the annual/ biennial congress because as such they should be attending the Main Congress of the society.

Members invited for preparation of the Main Congress doesn’t need reimbursement if he is part of local team. However, if he has been invited from some other city then it should be reimbursed.

21.3. Non-ICS National faculties
Generally, organizing committee and ICS EC should always encourage ICS members for such role. However, sometimes it is important to invite a Non-ICS faculty because of his knowledge or command on the cartilage science. In such case, organizing committee/ EC should discuss and create a policy for that particular meeting depending on budget and industry support.

21.4. Non-ICS/ ICS International faculties
Before each congress, organizing committee/ executive committee should decide number of foreign faculties and a ceiling of their travel reimbursement. It is extremely important to convey to international faculties the maximum possible reimbursement amount so that there are no bad feelings in them about society later. In no circumstances, it should be a business class fare. Generally, it is a good option to offer a maximum of below suggested amount based on regions. But this amount can vary and OC/ EC should take a final call based on their budget and industry support.

Faculty from North America- USD 1200
Faculty from Europe- USD 1000
Faculty from East Asia- USD 1000
Faculty from South-East Asia- USD 800
Faculty from Middle East and SAARC- USD 400

22. Local Cartilage Clubs
22.1: Constitution of local cartilage club: A local cartilage club is formed where (in the state/ UT of Republic if India) ICS congress has been held. The local cartilage clubs will act as a branch of ICS and hence should not be an independent body. A member of ICS automatically becomes member of Local Cartilage Club of a particular state/ UT, from where he belongs. However, if one chooses not to be part of ICS, then he cannot be part of ICS-Local Cartilage Club.

22.2: Finances of the local cartilage club: 20% of the money saved by the local organizing committee of ICS congress goes to the formation of local cartilage club. Local cartilage club can do local activities for its members and ask ICS to provide support from the 20% marked money that lies with ICS.

22.3: Member benefit from local cartilage club: Local cartilage club should see that people who are not members of ICS are not getting any undue benefit with ICS-local activity and ICS members should get the maximum benefit out of such local cartilage activities.

22.4: Local cartilage club activities: No local activity shall be planned, or a program be conducted that can pose a challenge to the parent body (ICS). Such activity should be considered as Anti-ICS.