Constitution

ARTICLE – I: NAME
The Society shall be called “RAJASTHAN OPHTHALMOLOGICAL SOCIETY“.
Affiliated to All India Ophthalmological Society

ARTICLE – II: GOVERNANCE
For governing the affairs of the Society, this Constitution and Bye-laws will apply. In case of any dispute or shortcoming in the Bye-laws, the Bye-laws of “ALL INDIA OPHTHALMOLOGICAL SOCIETY” will be followed.

ARTICLE – III: REGD. OFFICE
Registration Number: 1199 / 2009 –10 Dated 16th March 2010.
Registered office – 27 A, Ocean park apartment, Kanti Chandra Road, Bani Park, Jaipur. 302016.
Working office – Office of Hon. General Secretary of ROS. The list of the executive committee of ROS should be sent annually to the office of Registrar of Societies.
District Ophthalmological Societies must get registered with the ROS to hold the Annual Conference or any CME under the banner of ROS. A district Society must have a minimum of 15 members to get affiliated with ROS on payment of a lifetime subscription of Rs. 2000/-. Only one society from one district will be eligible and they will abide by the rules of ROS.

ARTICLE – IV: AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE SOCIETY
The objects of the Society shall be to promote and cultivate the study and practice of Ophthalmic Sciences so as to render service to the community and to promote brotherhood among Ophthalmologists. To this end:-

(a) It shall organize Conferences. Symposia, Seminars, Workshops, Refresher courses for promotion, Enhancement, and Mutual exchange of knowledge.

(b) Promote scientific, clinical, experimental, community, and field research in Ophthalmology.

(c) Institute awards/orations and prizes.

(d) Promote teaching, training, and continuing education in Ophthalmology by establishing and maintaining reference library, publishing journals and proceedings of the Society, and other such material.

(e) Organize exhibitions of Machinery, Instruments, Tools, and Appliances used in the practice of Ophthalmology with a view to improve the manufacture of such Instruments and to bring the latest additions of these to the knowledge of Ophthalmologists.

(f) Encourage the formation of local district and city Ophthalmic Societies with their eventual affiliation to the Rajasthan Ophthalmological Society.

(g) Co-operating with other medical societies/professional bodies.

(h) Promotion of social contact and goodwill among its members.

(i) Ensuring ethical practice and professional conduct among its members.

(j) Raising finances through subscriptions, contributions, donations from members and nonmembers, philanthropists directly or indirectly through souvenirs, journals, etc.

(k) Acquiring movable or immovable property and assets that may be necessary.

(l) Frame Bye-laws and Rules to amend, add, alter, or delete the same as and when necessary.

(m) Doing all other such things as may be incidental to and conducive to the attainment of aims and objectives of the Society.

(n) Try to maintain liaison with State Government, Central Government, AIOS, and other appropriate bodies regarding

matters concerning teaching, ophthalmic practice, prevention of blindness, visual standards of various jobs, and welfare for the members of Society.

(o) Undertake public health education through lectures, symposia, pamphlets, newspapers, TV and any other media, etc.

(p) Constitute a body of at least 5 senior members including a past president for a period of three years, nominated by the executive committee to provide guidance about the Consumer Protection Act and other govt. Acts, and also to regulate unethical practice among members and give a considered opinion on matters of dispute.

(q) The Society also aims at doing charity work in the form of holding free eye camps and free seminars, distribution of pamphlets to educate the general public in different parts of the State especially on occasions of World Sight Day, World Glaucoma Day, and Eye Donation Fortnight, etc.

(r) The Society will organize and assist their members to organize free eye check-ups and treatment of school children from time to time.

(s) jurisdiction of all litigations regarding society will be Jaipur.

ARTICLE -V: MEMBERSHIP (Only Life Membership)
The membership of the Society shall be of the following classes:-

1) Eligibility: Medical practitioners holding allopathic medical qualification and having along recognized Ophthalmic Degree/Diploma in Ophthalmology duly recognized by the Medical Council of India.

2) Life Member: All eligible members can acquire Life Membership on payment of membership fees as decided by the General Body from time to time.

3) Resident Doctors (P.G. Students) in Ophthalmology are eligible for membership.

4) Life members of the Society residing or Practicing outside the state of Rajasthan will not be entitled to vote and acquire any post in the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE – VI: SUBSCRIPTION
The subscription for the Life Member shall be Rupees 3000/- which can be amended from time to time by General Body.

ARTICLE -VII: PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERS
1) All Life Members have a right to participate in all the activities of the Society including the right to vote (residing in Rajasthan) but must have deposited all outstanding dues if any before voting and shall be entitled to receive all official publications of the Society free of cost.

2) New members: – Membership will commence from the beginning of Society’s year which will be the 1st of October every year. Any new member whose application is under consideration may attend and take part in the deliberations of the conference of the Society but will not have voting rights till his membership is ratified by the General Body.

3) Applications of New Life Members will be entertained throughout the year but they will not have any voting rights till membership is ratified by the General Body

ARTICLE – VIII: CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP PRIVILEGES and READMISSION
1) Membership of the Society shall cease:
a) Voluntarily by the member through resignation.
b) If the Executive Committee decides to delete the name of a member from membership for any proven unprofessional behavior or misconduct the same will be confirmed by 2/3 majority in the General Body Meeting. Before any such disciplinary action is taken, the offending member will be served a notice in writing and will be given an opportunity to explain his conduct before the Executive Committee. All such matters will be referred to the Executive Committee and/or ethical committee of ROS and decisions taken by these bodies will be referred to the General Body Meeting for final approval.
c) in case of death.

2) The privileges of the members such as entitlement to receive journal and proceedings will be suspended after it has become due.

3) Readmission will be considered as a new life member after paying life membership fees again.

ARTICLE -IX: GENERAL BODY
1) Life Members shall constitute the General Body of the Society.
2) The General Body shall govern all the affairs of the Society through its elected Executive Committee.
3) The General Body meeting shall be held during the Annual Conference.
4) The Special General Body Meeting can also be convened by any of the following-
i) The President
ii) On requisition by 2/3rd members of the Executive Committee
iii) By written requisition of at least 50 members of the society
iv) In case of any dispute, the decision of GBM will be full and final.
5) Quorum: For GBM: The presence of a minimum of 70 members shall form the quorum. In case the quorum is not complete, the President can adjourn the meeting and can hold the General Body Meeting after half an hour of the members who are present in the hall.
For constitutional amendment, the quorum shall be 1/10th of total members of the Society on a roll. However executive committee may constitute a constitutional amendment committee to make any necessary amendments every five years.

ARTICLE – X: STATUTORY COMMITTEES
The following shall be the Statutory Committees of the Society:
a) Executive Committee
b) Scientific Committee
c) Editorial Committee
The Executive Committee shall review the recommendation of other Statutory Committees before presentation to the General Body.

ARTICLE-XI: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
It shall consist of the following elected/ nominated office bearers:
i) President (President-elect automatically shall become President)
ii) President-elect (Vice President automatically shall become President-elect)
iii) Vice President (will be nominated by Executive Committee)
iv) Hon. General Secretary
v) Treasurer
vi) Chairman- Scientific Committee
vii) Editor Journal and Proceedings
viii) Executive Members – Eleven in Total
a) 4 members from the open category
b) 7 members, 1 from each division of Rajasthan to be elected on the mode of election of ARC, AIOS.
ix) The immediate Past President and Hon. Gen. Secretary will be ex-officio members. The Executive Committee also holds the right to nominate 2 persons as Advisors to the Society. These must be out of past presidents of the Society. The advice given by the advisors shall not be binding and they will not have any right to vote in a matter of dispute in the Executive Committee.
x) A person cannot hold more than one post in one executive.

FUNCTIONS:
a) To review the recommendations of various Statutory Committees.
b) To run the affairs of Society on behalf of the General Body in accordance with the constitution.
c) To carry out all the policies of the Society and shall be responsible for it.
d) Manage the financial accounts and properties of the Society.
e) To constitute committees which may be deemed necessary for better functioning of the Society.
f) The decision and recommendations of the Executive Committee shall be subject to approval by the General Body.
g) Each year the Executive Committee will nominate a Vice President from invited nominations from the Society as per the norms laid down separately.

MEETINGS:
a) The Executive Committee shall meet as and when necessary but at least twice a year is mandatory (preferably once during the Annual Conference). At least 5 members shall constitute the quorum of the Executive Committee.
b) The President shall preside the meeting of the Executive Committee. In his absence, the President-Elect, Vice President, Hon. Gen. Secretary or the Treasurer shall officiate in that order and will assume all the powers of President for that meeting.
c) In the event of a tie, the President will have a casting vote.

ARTICLE – XII: SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
Shall consist of:
i) Chairman Scientific Committee
ii) President, ROS

iii)Hon. General Secretary, ROS
iv) Editor, ROS Journal
v) 3 members to be nominated by the Chairman Scientific Committee within a month of elections and inform to ROS office.

FUNCTIONS:
a) It shall chart out the scientific program of the annual conference in consultation with other committee members
b) It shall select the scientific papers to be presented at the annual conference.
c) It shall recommend for the award of various medals, prizes, orations, and Guest-Speakers.
d) It shall recommend the subject for the symposium at the annual conference and suggest the name of Convener to be considered by the executive committee.
e) It shall undertake other similar tasks as assigned to it by the Society from time to time.

ARTICLE -XIII: EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
1) Editorial committee shall consist of:
a) Editor Journal
b) President ROS
c) Hon. General Secretary ROS
d) Scientific Committee Chairman
e) 3 members to be nominated by Editor Journal within a month of elections and inform to ROS office.

2)The Society shall publish annually a journal called the Journal of Rajasthan Ophthalmological Society.

3) It shall carry out the policies of the Society and be governed by the bye-laws of Society. The same committee shall publish the proceedings of the conference. All the scientific material presented at the conference shall be published with proceedings. The editorial committee has the right to edit or abridge the material in the interest of a good publication.

ARTICLE -XIV: PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY
1) Paper published elsewhere can only be accepted for publication provided the author informs in advance.
2) Five reprints shall be sent to the author/authors free of cost.

ARTICLE -XV: ELECTION and TENURE OF OFFICE BEARERS
The Society shall elect the following office bearers:
1) One Vice President shall be nominated by the Executive Committee at each conference / every year in accordance with the criteria laid down. The Vice President will become President-Elect next year and automatically become President in the following year.
2) The Hon. General Secretary, Treasurer, and all other office bearers will be elected during the annual conference for a term of 2 years / till the end of the 2nd Annual Conference, at the end of which the term will expire.
3) These office bearers will be eligible to hold office for a maximum of two terms. However, no member can become vice president/president-elect/president more than once.
4) The election, if not unanimous will be conducted by secret ballot.
5) The President-elect of the previous year will become President from the commencement of the following conference and will continue in office till the commencement of the next Annual Conference.
6) In the event of vacancies occurring among office bearers before the next elections, the following succession procedure shall be effective:
– President will be succeeded by President-elect, President-Elect by Vice President.
– Hon. Gen. Secretary will be succeeded by Treasurer.
– Vice President / Treasurer / Chairman Scientific Committee / Editor to be recommended by President from the elected Executive Members and should be approved by Executive Committee.
The office bearers so elected shall only hold office for the remaining period of the predecessors.
7) Office bearers shall cease to hold office:
a) The period of their election is over.
b) By a resolution, if 2/3rd majority of General Body decides to remove the office bearers from his office.

ARTICLE- XVI: FUNCTIONS OF THE PRESIDENT
1) The President shall preside all Executive Meetings & General Body Meetings.
2) The President will act on behalf of the Society during his tenure and regulate the working of the functions of the Society.
3) The President shall uphold the constitution and enforce the rules and regulations framed therein.
4) The President-elect shall officiate in the absence of the President.

ARTICLE – XVII: FUNCTIONS OF THE HON. GENERAL SECRETARY
1) The Hon. Gen. Secretary shall manage all correspondence and shall maintain the minutes of the Executive Committee Meetings as well as General Body Meeting, which will be confirmed in the next meetings.
2) The Hon. Gen. Secretary shall be responsible to the Society for carrying all the resolutions of the Society.
3) All documents, convents, contracts shall be made jointly by the Hon. Gen. Secretary, the President, and the Treasurer.
4) The property of the Society shall be under the control of the Hon. Gen. Secretary.
5) The Hon. Gen. Secretary may incur expenditure up to rupees 1,00,000/- (rupees one lac only ) without the previous sanction of the Executive Committee and not provided in the budget.
6) The Hon. Gen. Secretary will act as Chief Executive and negotiate with all other organizations, i.e. Government and Semi-Government on behalf of the Society.

ARTICLE – XVIII: FUNCTIONS OF TREASURER
1) The Treasurer shall receive money due to the Society and shall make all payments in accordance with any rules framed by the Executive Committee. He shall maintain an accurate account of all such transactions.
2) The Treasurer will prepare the annual budget of the Society and place the same before the Executive Committee for approval. The budget thus proposed and approved by the Executive Committee will be placed before the General Body for final approval.
3) The bank accounts shall be operated jointly by any two office bearers i.e. President, Hon. Gen. Secretary and Treasurer.
4) Audited statement of accounts of the Society shall be submitted by the treasurer of the Society in the general body meeting.

ARTICLE – XIX: FINANCE
The accounting year of the Society will be from 1st April to 31st March each year. The Finance of the society shall be kept under a) General Account b) Journal and proceeding account c) A trust account which will be made up of donations from individuals, contributions made by organizing committees of place where conferences are held, by raising funds as the Society may deem fit with an aim of encouraging and improving the activities of the Society. The accounts will be maintained by the Treasurer.

ACCOUNT OF JOURNAL and PROCEEDINGS:
It shall be maintained by the editor. The person-in-charge of the above accounts shall prepare and submit a balance sheet to the Executive Committee before the annual meeting.

ARTICLE – XX: CONFERENCES
1) The Society shall organize at least one annual conference preferably in Oct./Nov. each year.
2) Should be organized preferably in the bigger city having sufficient infrastructure to hold live surgery/ scientific halls /trade exhibition and accommodation for the delegates
3) Four months before the date of the conference a preliminary intimation shall be sent to every member by the Hon. Gen. Secretary.
4) The conference shall comprise of:
i) A symposium on the subject decided by the executive committee.
ii) Orations/keynote addresses as decided by the scientific committee.
iii) Communications, scientific papers, films, case reports, demonstrations, exhibitions, etc.
iv) The trade exhibition to be set up at the venue site for knowledge of all delegates of the latest advancement in equipment and drugs in ophthalmic science. The booking of exhibition stalls will be done at the Hon. Gen. Secretary’s office. All money (registration/ trade/sponsorship/ any other ) will go to the bank account of ROS only. All expenditures pertaining to the annual conference shall be done from this account only. A separate income/expenditure account of the annual conference will be maintained by the treasurer of ROS. LOC of annual conference shall submit all details of expenditures with verified bills to the ROS within one month of completion of the annual conference. LOC of the annual conference shall receive 60% of the total profit of the annual conference. The remaining 40 % will remain with ROS.  Booth/stall lectures or any other scientific activities are strictly prohibited during the period of the conference and a month before and 15 days after the Annual conference by any member, district, city society, or trade community.
5) The instruction course / CME / Live surgery shall be organized during the conferences preferably on the 1st day of the conference.
i) The conference will be for three days, preferably on holidays /` weekends to facilitate maximum participation of delegates.
ii) The inaugural function of the conference will be held on the evening of the first / Second day of the conference as decided by LOC.
iii) General Body Meeting (GBM) will be convened on the second day of the conference with ample time devoted to discussion on various issues. An agenda shall be circulated in advance, to all the members to facilitate constructive advice from the delegates.
iv) In normal circumstances. any number of guest speakers can / may be invited from outside states who are experts in their respective fields by the Scientific Committee. However, discretion should be used in such a way that it enhances the scientific content of the annual conference without compromising the participation of host faculty.
6) Ideally in each session a minimum of 10 minutes (or up to One-Fourth of the total session time) should be set aside for discussion / question-answers.
7) 2 -3 Mid Term Conferences /CMEs can/will be organized by different city/ district/ division Society (preferably in smaller cities & towns ) in a year and a grant of up to Rs 1,00,000/- (rupees one lac only ) will be given to the Society (should be affiliated to ROS) by ROS for each CME/ mid-term conference upon submission of bills to ROS. In case if necessary ROS can grant an advance to the Society who proposes to conduct the CME

8) The Local Organizing Committee will arrange for the stay of President and President-elect, General Sec., and Chairman Scientific Committee at the venue site or nearby hotels.
9) Conference registration fee will be decided by the GBM as and when needed
10) Registration fee for the conference of the past presidents will be borne by the ROS office.

ARTICLE -XXI: ELIGIBILITY OF VARIOUS OFFICE BEARERS
(Age for eligibility will be as on first of October of that Year)

VICE-PRESIDENT:
i) Above 55 years of age and a minimum of 15 years of life membership of ROS
ii) Should have attended at least five annual conferences in the proceeding 10 years.
iii) Held any post at ROS executive in the past / or Hon. general secretary/president in the affiliated district ophthalmic society / has contributed towards ROS activities in form of organizing ROS Conference as Chairman / Hon. Gen. Secretary or contributed in any form for enhancement of ROS which the ROS Executive deems fit for recognition.
iv) Has not been charged for any indiscipline of any form at ROS in the last 15 years.

HON. GENERAL SECRETARY
i) Minimum standing of 15 years as a member of Society.
ii) Should have attended at least 3 ROS conferences in the past 5 years.
iii) There should be no current or pending allegations of misconduct in the affairs of the Society against the member
iv) He/she should have held at least one executive post in the Society.

TREASURER, CHAIRMAN of SCIENTIFIC COM. & EDITOR JOURNAL
i) Minimum standing of 10 years as a member of Society.
ii) Should have attended at least 3 ROS conferences in the past 5 years.
iii) There should be no current or pending allegations of misconduct in the affairs of the Society against the member
iv) He/she should have held at least one executive post in the Society.

OTHER OFFICE BEARERS (Executive Committee Members):
i) Minimum 5 years of membership in Society.
ii) Should have attended at least 2 annual ROS conferences in the last 5 years.
iii) There should be no current or pending allegations of misconduct in the affairs of the Society against the member

ARTICLE – XXII: ELECTION PROCEDURES:
i) The Hon. Gen. Secretary shall invite nominations for posts for which elections are due, 45 days before the conference date. The proposals must be received 20 days before the date of the conference as notified and withdrawals may be allowed up to 7 days before the conference. If no nominations are received for any particular post, the name of candidates for such posts will be invited from the floor of the house at the general body meeting during the annual conference.

ii) Only valid life members residing or full time practicing in Rajasthan will be eligible to vote. The Hon. Gen. Secretary will therefore keep ready an up-to-date list of the members during election time.

iii) the results of the election will be declared by the outgoing president at the GBM, on receipt of Sealed results from the chief election commissioner with the signature of its members.

iv) The procedure of the election will be by secret ballot. The president will constitute an election committee of 3 members with one of them working as a chief election officer.

v) In case of a tie, the president can use his right to cast the vote.

vi) One member can contest the election for one post only.

vii) Office bearer / executive committee member can be elected on the same post not more than two times. However, members can be elected on the post of vice president once only.

ARTICLE – XXIII: PUBLICATION OF RAJASTHAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY:
i) It should be published at least once a year
ii) A maximum of Rs. 50,000/- if needed, be allotted annually from the Society fund towards expenses of the Journal. The Editor must raise at least 30 % of the total expenses through advertisements in the Journal.
iii) Abstract from Indian J. Ophthal or some review articles from I.J.O. may be published in the journal with necessary permission from editor/ author.
iv) Proceedings of Annual conference: should be published by Editor Journal. The material will be provided by the Chairman Scientific Committee. It will be funded by ROS.

ARTICLE – XXIV: ORATIONS AND AWARDS
The following will be awarded from the available funds if suitable candidates are available.

a) Travel Grant: Grant of Rs. 10,000/- or as decided by general body time to time will be given to Resident Doctor member towards his travel and other expenses if his scientific paper presented in the ROS conference has won the best paper award, and is subsequently accepted for presentation in the forthcoming AIOS conference.

b) Travel fellowship Grant: Travel Fellowships may be awarded to any member of the Society to attend any course/fellowship for advance training for a minimum period of 15 days or more (mandatory) from outside state / national/international institutions. A maximum of 2 Fellowships to be granted per year. The selection of the member to receive the grant would be on basis of merit on the written application submitted by the member to the Scientific Committee. The amount of the grant would be a maximum of Rs. 25,000 per fellowship or as decided by the general body from time to time. This grant will be reimbursed to the member on the production of a certificate of attendance at the institution.

c) Dr. Anila Khuteta Oration award: will be given to an extraordinary scientific work by an eminent Ophthalmologist, who is invited as a guest speaker to deliver an oration lecture. The speaker will be decided by the executive committee.

e) Life Time Achievement award: Life Time Achievement award has been decided to be, given every year. Lifetime achievement award shall be given to an Ophthalmologist of age 65 years and above (by first of October of that year), of Rajasthan with a minimum of 15 years’ membership of ROS. The main emphasis shall be given to his contribution to the ROS, in the field of academics, teaching, research, and community Ophthalmology. The selected ophthalmologists will be invited to deliver an oration and be awarded a gold medal and a citation. ROS will extend travel fare and cover all local hospitality expenses as a courtesy to the Orator and/or his family members who attend the conference.

f) Existing Gold Medals: A Gold medal will be awarded for the best paper presentation in the conference in the following categories.
i) Ophthalmologist member below 40 years – “Dr. Suraj Narain Gold Medal”
ii) Best Video- “Dr. Shurveer Singh Gold Medal”
iii) Resident doctor Ophthalmologist – “Kali Charan Memorial Gold Medal”

Gold Medals will be given to a member-only once in one category and will be awarded in the Next Conference.