Cumulative Professional Development Allowance — Faculty
MHRD vide letter No. 23-I/2008-TS.II dated 18.08.2009 provided a grant of ₹3 lakhs under CPDA to every faculty member for a block period of 3 years (₹1 lakh per year) on a reimbursable basis. The Board of Governors approved this in its meeting held on 23.12.2009. The unutilized CPDA amount of one block will be carried forward to the next block.
CPDA can be used for travel related to the following International / National activities. The authorized travel agents listed below must be used for air travel procurement.
Conference / Workshop / Seminar / Symposia / Training
A faculty member is expected to present a paper, chair a session, or deliver an invited talk. If participating without paper presentation or session chairing, the Head of Department must provide specific recommendations on the event's relevance to the faculty's professional development.
Training / Refresher / Professional Development Programmes
CPDA can be used for attending training programs, refresher courses, or professional development programs with the approval of the Head of the Department.
Visits Abroad under Ministry of Education Schemes
For visits of Indian faculty abroad under any schemes of the Ministry of Education, the Head of Department's approval is required. There is no restriction on the number of events.
Authorized Travel Agents Only
Accommodation and per diem entitlements for international travel under CPDA are as follows. Days eligible = Conference/event days + 2 days.
Maximum US$120 / Day
Maximum US$ 120 or actuals whichever is less (for all countries). Number of days eligible: Conference/event days + 2 days.
Country-wise Daily Allowance
| Country | DA (US$) |
|---|---|
| USA, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Belgium, Hong Kong, China, South Korea, etc. | US$ 100 |
| Other Countries | US$ 60 / 75 |
Ministry of External Affairs Order No: Q/FD/695/3/2000 dated 21.09.2010. Days eligible: Conference/event days + 2 days.
No advance will be provided for National Travel. Registration fee as per actuals; TA as per rules. Days eligible for accommodation and per diem: Conference/event days + 2 days.
| Pay Level | Accommodation | AC Taxi | Food |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 14 & Above | Up to ₹7,500/day (excl. tax) | As per actuals | Up to ₹1,200/day |
| Level 12 & 13 | Up to ₹4,500/day (excl. tax) | Up to 50 km/day | Up to ₹1,000/day |
Additional provisions applicable to faculty under specific fellowships, leave schemes, and career stages.
DAAD / INSA / von Humboldt Fellowship
Faculty members availing of the DAAD / INSA / von Humboldt Fellowship can utilize CPDA for travel expenses only.
Faculty on Sabbatical Leave
Faculty members on sabbatical leave can utilize CPDA for attending conferences, workshops, seminars, or symposiums — covering airfare (to and from the sabbatical place to the conference venue), registration fees, accommodation, and per diem.
Early Career Faculty Scheme (ECFS)
Eligible for Assistant Professor Grade-II only. Can be availed up to a maximum of 180 days. This can be combined with vacation. CPDA can be utilized for air travel and visa charges under this scheme.
Leave provisions for CPDA-related travel and events, applicable across the calendar year.
Maximum 6 Days / Calendar Year
The total number of days ON DUTY for all events held either in India or abroad is limited to 6 days in a calendar year. ON DUTY is eligible for HRHR Mobility Grant (maximum three months in entire service) / IITM Young Faculty Mobility Grant / IoE Faculty Outbound Mobility Programme / IoE Research Grant.
Maximum 15 Days / Calendar Year
The total number of special casual leaves for all events held either in India or abroad is limited to 15 days in a calendar year.
CPDA covers membership fees for professional societies with no restriction on the number of memberships.
100% Membership Fee
Membership fee reimbursement: 100%. There is no restriction on the number of Professional Society Memberships that can be claimed under CPDA.
The following contingent expenses can be claimed on a reimbursement basis. All purchases must adhere to Institute procurement guidelines.
Equipment & Components
Purchase of equipment, components and maintenance charges. All equipment must be recorded in the stock register (SRB of Department). A separate CPDA stock register with individual pages per faculty member may be opened.
Books, Journals, Software & Data
Purchase of books, journals, patents, monograms, chemicals, data, testing charges, online course fees, membership fees, software, and cloud space.
Field Visits & Sample Analysis
Expenses related to field visits, collection of samples, and sample analysis carried out for professional development purposes.
Open Access Journal Charges
Publication charges for open access journals are reimbursable under CPDA. All claims must be certified by the faculty member that items are procured for Professional Development.
Rules for advance, reimbursement and bill settlement under CPDA.
International Travel Only
CPDA advance will be provided only for International Travel. No advance is provided for National Travel.
Within a Fortnight
If an advance is taken, bills must be submitted to the Finance & Accounts Section within a fortnight of the completion of travel. If the advance is not settled within the stipulated period, the outstanding amount will be recovered from salary and released only after settlement.
Original Bills Only
Reimbursement is only against original bills. Other forms of claim such as hand vouchers are not allowed. Claims can be submitted directly to the F&A Section with due compliance to guidelines, forwarded through the HoD.