Ashoka University requires that all faculty, staff, and students conducting research that involves human subjects obtain IRB approval before beginning their research projects. Here are some overall guidelines about the application process:

1. Before beginning the application, you may want to review pertinent materials concerning harm, risk, and informed consent available under Overview. Also, if your research involves minors, pregnant women, prisoners, or the mentally disabled, check the relevant section under Categories of Review for additional regulations.

2. Review the criteria listed under Categories of Review to determine your eligibility for the Exempt, Expedited or Full Review.

3. IRB application forms for the three categories can be accessed through the Applicant Dashboard after you log in with your Ashoka email ID.

4. Complete the appropriate form and submit it. Even projects that the applicant believes to be covered under the “Exempt” category need to file an application.

5. Your submission to the IRB must include the application form and supporting documents (if any).

6. Please note that for Exempt reviews you must allow 4 weeks for a response from the IRB. For Expedited reviews, the period is 6 weeks. Projects requiring a Full Review will receive a response within 8 weeks.

7. Please note that the IRB may request applicants to provide additional information. This will be determined by the IRB on a case-by-case basis.

8. In addition to the form, all investigators on a project are required to submit a completion certificate for an online ethics training course. Access to the course is provided through the Ethics Training tab. In the absence of the certificate, all applicants must give an undertaking that the certificate will be submitted within 3 months of the date of application.

9. Please note that projects that require Full Review have approval only for one year and must obtain a fresh review from the IRB beyond one year from the date the project was last approved by the IRB.

10. In case you make any changes to the research project (e.g. respondent profile, nature of questions being asked, consent process, etc.) after you have received IRB approval, you must send an email to irb@ashoka.edu.in to obtain approval of the modified procedures prior to initiating these procedures.

11. Projects approved under the exempt, expedited and full review category of IRB require a fresh review after two years. 

12. Please note that if your project was approved between 2019-2021, and you not did receive the IRB approval letter then you must apply for a fresh IRB review and approval through the portal.  

13. If you have any questions about the status of your project in this regard, please contact the IRB member secretary at irb@ashoka.edu.in. You can meet the IRB member secretary in the office hours:

Monday- Wednesday from 4:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m.