INDIAN ROADS CONGRESS

MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION, RULES &

I. MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION
1. Name : The name of the Society shall be "The Indian Roads Congress"
2. Objects : The objects of the society shall be:
a. to promote and encourage the science and practice of building and maintenance of roads;
b. to provide a channel for the expression of collective opinion of its members on matters
affecting roads;
c. to promote the use of standard specifications and to propose specifications;
d. to advise regarding education, experiment, and research connected with roads;
e. to hold periodical meetings to discuss technical questions regarding roads;
f. to suggest legislation for the development, improvement and protection of roads;
g. to suggest improved methods of administration, planning, design, construction, operation,
use and maintenance of roads;
h. to establish furnish and maintain libraries and museums for furthering the science of road
making;
i. to publish, or arrange for the publication of proceedings, journals, periodicals and other
literature for the promotion of the objects of the Society;
j. to accept subscriptions, subsidies, donations, endowments and gifts in furtherance of the
objects of the Society;
k. to invest and deal with the funds of the Society or entrusted to the Society, to acquire and hold
any movable or immovable property, and to borrow or raise money for the furtherance of the
objects of the society and to sell, lease, exchange, or otherwise deal with the same;
l. to grant pay, prizes, honoraria, or scholarships (including traveling scholarships) for
meritorious work in furtherance of the objects of the Society;
m. to do all such other lawful things as may be, incidental or conducive to the attainment of the
above objects.
3. Income and property : The income and property of the society, whensoever and howsoever derived,
shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Society as herein set forth and no portion thereof
shall be paid, or transferred or distributed, directly, by way of dividend, bonus, interest, or otherwise howsoever, by
way of profit to the members of the Society; Provided that this shall not prevent the payment in good faith of
remuneration to any officer or servant of the Society or other persons in return for services rendered.
4. Governing Body : The Governing Body of the Society shall be the Council as constituted by the
Rules and Regulations of the Society.

II. RULES AND REGULATIONS

MEMBERSHIP
5. The Society shall consist of :

a. Patron and Vice-Patrons :

Such persons as accept the invitation of the Council to be a Patron or Vice-Patrons of the Society from time to
time: Provided that there shall never be more than one Patron and six Vice-Patrons at any one time.

b. Members :

Such qualified engineers* who are or have been connected with roads** and such other persons being scientist of
eminence in, or being engaged in a responsible capacity in the sciences allied to road construction and maintenance, as

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may be elected members of the Society by the Secretary General acting on behalf of the Council.

c. Life Members

Members whose subscriptions are not in arrears may compound their future annual subscription by a single
payment depending upon their age at that time and may be elected as Life Members (LM) of the Society by the
Secretary General acting on behalf of the Council.

d. Student Members

Students of Final Year of B.E./B. Tech or M.Tech/Ph.D in Engineering may be elected as Student Members
(SM) of the Society by the Secretary General acting on behalf of the Council. The Student member shall not have the
voting rights.

e. Individual Associate Members

Such persons, who, while not eligible to be members are or have been; in the opinion of the Executive
Committee, engaged in the administration of roads or road transport or so engaged in business connected with
construction and maintenance of roads or with the manufacture or sale of materials used in connecting with the
making or repairing of roads or of road transport vehicles or the operation thereof, may be elected Individual
Associate Members (IAM) of the Society by the Executive Committee acting on behalf of the Council.

f. Individual Associate Life Members

Individual Associate Members whose subscriptions are not in arrears may compound their future annual
subscription by a single payment depending upon their age at the time and may be elected as Individual Associate
Life Member (IALM) of the Society by the Secretary General acting on behalf of the Council.

g. Associate Members

Such Institutions, Govt. Departments, Public Bodies or Corporations/ Companies who have been, in the
opinion of the Executive Committee, engaged in the administration of roads or road transport or so engaged in
business or work connected with the construction and maintenance of roads or with the manufacture or sale of
material used in connection with the making or repairing of road transport vehicles, or the operation thereof, as may
be, elected Associate Members (AM) of the Society by the Executive Committee acting on behalf of the Council.

6. Entrance Fee :

An entrance fee shall be payable by members on election. The rates for fee shall be approved by the Council
from time-to-time.

* The expression qualified engineers shall for the purposes of this Rule be deemed to include:
i) Corporate Members of the Institution of Engineers (India).
ii) Persons holding such qualifications as are acceptable by the Institution of Engineers (India) for election to Corporate
Membership and
iii) Any person who shall in the opinion of the Executive Committee (acting on behalf of the Council) by reason of academic
qualification or long practice in engineering, road research or otherwise be sufficiently qualified in Engineering to bring
him within the said expression.
** The expression "connected with roads" shall for the purposes of this Rule, be deemed to include, being or having been:
i) Connected with the construction and maintenance of roads or
ii) Engaged (whether in public employ or in business or otherwise) in connection with roads or materials used in connection
with roads or the use of roads or in writing about the same or otherwise connected with roads to an extent which in the
opinion of the Executive Committee (acting on behalf of the Council) is sufficient to bring a person within the said
expression.

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 7. Subscription :

(a) The yearly subscription and compounding fee for Life Members shall be payable by Members. The
subscription and the compounding fee shall be approved by the Council from time to time.
(b) A year shall for the purposes of this Rule be from the first day of April until the last day of March
following. Subscription shall be due on election and on the first day of April of every year following that date while a
person continues to be a Member of the Society.

8. Cessation of Membership

a. Any Member who has not paid his subscription due within two years of the due date shall
automatically cease to be a Member.
b. The Council shall have power to cancel the membership of any Member of the Society who
shall be deemed to have been guilty of any conduct prejudicial to the Society or rendering
him unfit to remain a Member thereof; Provided that at least two-thirds of the members of the
Council present in person shall be in favour of such action and; Provided further that before
any decision is taken, the Member in question shall be afforded an opportunity to state his
case in person or writing.

c. A Member may resign from his membership of the Society by notice in writing to the
Secretary General to that effect provided he is not in arrears with his subscriptions during the
year and that no such resignation shall be valid until the Member resigning receives an
acceptance of his resignation in writing from the Secretary General.

9. GOVERNING BODY

The Society shall be controlled by and the management of its affairs shall be entrusted to a Council
constituted as follows:
a. A representative of each participating* administration, to be nominated by the Government
of the administration concerned from among the Members of the Society.
b. A representative to be nominated by the Engineer-in-Chief, Army Headquarters, India, from
among the Members of the Society.
c. A representative of the Central Public Works Department of the Government of India to be
nominated by the Director General of Works of that Department from among the Members
of the Society.
d. The Director General (Road Development) to the Govt. of India, (In the event of the post of
Director General (Road Development) remaining vacant, both Additional Directors General
in the Roads Wing of the Ministry of Surface Transport [Now Ministry of Shipping, Road
Transport & Highways] till such time as the vacancy of Director General (Road
Development) is filled.
e. The Director, Central Road Research Institute, India.
f. A representative of the Director General, Border Roads Organisation.
g. A representative of the Indian Standards Institution to be nominated by the Director General,
Indian Standards Institution (Now Bureau of Indian Standards).
h. Past Presidents of the Society, for a period of three years after they vacate their
Presidentship.
i. Immediate past Secretary General of the Society, for a period of three years after he vacate
Secretary Generalship.
j. The Local Organising Secretary appointed by the host Government in connection with the

*Participating administrations are those States of the Indian Union and Union Territories who participate in the activities of the
Indian Roads Congress by guaranteeing to send a specified number of senior delegates to the General Sessions (or if no delegates are sent, to
pay the delegation fees for those delegates) and, in addition, subscribe to the funds of the Society.

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 Annual Session of the Indian Roads Congress for a period of one year, i.e., during the term of
the new Council constituted at the Annual Session.
k. (i) Six representatives to be elected annually at the time of the Annual General
Meeting by a 'Board' consisting of nominees of Associate Members from Private
Sector elected under Rule 5-g and present at the meeting from amongst themselves.
(ii) Three representatives to be elected annually at the time of the Annual General
Meeting by a 'Board' consisting of nominees of Associate Members from
Government and Public Sector Undertakings elected under Rule 5-g and present at
the meeting from amongst themselves.
Provided that in the event of any dispute as to the composition of the Board, the dispute shall
be referred to the President of the Society for decision and his decision shall be final.
1. One representative to be elected annually at the time of the Annual General Meeting by the
nominees of such Associate Members elected under Rule 5-g which are Institutions
primarily engaged in roads and road transport research (whether in the private or public
sectors) from amongst all such nominees present at the meeting.
m. One representative to be elected annually at the time of Annual General Meeting by the
nominees of Engg. Universities/I.I.Ts/ Engineering Colleges who are Associate Members
elected under Rule 5-g from amongst the members present at the meeting.
n. One representative to be elected annually at the time of Annual General Meeting by a 'Board'
of engineers from Zilla Parishads, District Boards, Panchayat Samitis, Panchayati Raj
Deptts., Rural Development Deptts., Rural Works Deptts., and Rural Engineering
Organisations who are members of the Society, but are not under the administrative control
of the PWD Chief Engineer of the territory in which they are serving, and are present at the
meeting from amongst themselves.
o. One representative to be elected annually at the time of the Annual General Meeting by a
'Board' of Municipal, Improvement Trust, Development Authorities and Cantonment
engineers who are members of the Society and are present at the meeting, from amongst
themselves.
p. (i) Ten representatives who shall all have been members of the Society for at least five
years to be elected annually at the time of the Annual General Meeting by all
present and voting; provided that the number of elected Members from each State
or Union Territory under this Rule shall be limited to one.
(ii) Two representatives who shall be below 35 years of age on the date of Business
Meeting and all have been members of the Society for at least five years to be
elected annually at the time of the Annual General Meeting by all present and
voting; provided that the number of elected Members from each State or Union
Territory under this Rule shall be limited to one.
It was decided that separate nomination for rule 9-p(i) and 9-p(ii) will be obtained
and election under the two sub-rules will be independent of each other. The
representatives below 35 years of age may be from the same state as for the rule 9-
p(i)
q. One representative of the mechanical engineers having at least five years standing
membership to be elected annually at the time of Annual General Meeting from
amongst the Mechanical Engineers who are members of the Society and are present
at the meeting.
r. A representative of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to be
nominated by the Chairman, NHAI from among the Technical Officers not below
the rank of a member in NHAI.
s. Two representatives of lady members of the society having at least five years
standing membership to be elected annually at the time of Annual General Meeting
from amongst lady members of the Society who are present at the meeting.

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 t. A representative of the National Rural Roads Development Agency (NRRDA) to be
nominated by Director General NRRDA from amongst the Technical Officers of the rank of
Director, NRRDA.
u. A representative of the North Eastern Council (NEC) to be nominated by NEC Secretariat
from amongst the Technical Officers of the rank of Advisor, NEC.
v. A representative of National Institute for Training of Highway Engineers (NITHE) who will
be not below the rank of Director of NITHE.

NOTE: (1) Provided that in the event of the votes being equal in respect of two or more candidates, a fresh election shall
be held in respect of such candidates, and if upon such fresh election there are still equal votes in respect of
any candidates, the decision shall be taken by the President through draw of lots.

. (2) A Member will be allowed to seek election against only one Rule of his choice at any one time.

(3) Student Members shall not have voting powers.

10. The Council shall at its first meeting after each Annual General Meeting elect a President and not more
than four Vice-Presidents of the Society from among its own members, who shall hold office and continue to be
members of the Council till new Council has been elected. The President shall have power to fill any vacancies in the
office of the Vice-Presidents that may occur between two General Meetings.

11. SECRETARY GENERAL AND TREASURER

a. The Council shall appoint a Secretary General on such terms as it deems fit. The President shall
have power to make changes in the personal of this office whenever such changes are necessary.
b. The Director General (Road Development) shall be the ex-officio Treasurer of the Society.
[In the event of the post of Director General (Road Development) remaining vacant, the President,
IRC will discharge the functions of Treasurer, till such time as the vacancy of the Director General
(Road Development) is filled].
12. The Council shall hold office until the newly elected Council referred to in Rule 9 takes charge.
13. The Council shall have power:
a. to fill any vacancies on the Council that may occur between two General Meetings of members elected
under Rule 9-k,l,m,n,o,p,q and s.
b. to add to its number by co-opting not more than ten members of the Society; such co-opted members
shall also have voting powers except for the purpose of Rules 24 and 26.
c. to invite any Member, Associate member or any other person, to a particular meeting; such person
shall have no voting powers.
14. Any nominated member of the Council as aforesaid may nominate, by written notice to the Secretary
General, a member of the Society to represent and vote for him as a member of the Council.
15. The President, or in his absence, a Vice-President to be nominated by the President, shall preside at all
meetings of the Council; otherwise the meeting shall elect one of the Vice-Presidents present as a Chairman. The
Chairman shall have a casting vote.
16. If at any time the President for the time being is absent from India, or is unable to perform the duties of
his office, he shall nominate a Vice-President to act for him. In the event of the President failing to nominate one of
the Vice-Presidents as aforesaid, the Vice-Presidents shall elect one of themselves to perform the office of the
President.
17. The Council shall meet when possible at least once a year as defined in Rule 7(b) at such time or times
as the President may direct and one of such meetings shall be at the time of the General Session of the Society; and
on the requisition of at least ten members, the President shall call a meeting of the Council provided that instead of
actually meeting, the President may direct that the Secretary General refer the matter specified in the requisition for
decision by post as hereinafter provided. At meetings of the Council twenty shall form a quorum.
18. The Secretary General shall, on the orders of the President, refer any matter for the decision of the

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Council by sending to each member of the Council by Registered Post with acknowledgment due, a Memorandum
setting forth the question or questions to be decided and specifying a date not less than thirty days from the date of
posting of the Memorandum by which the votes of members of the Council shall reach him. Upon receipt of not less
than twenty votes by the date specified, the Secretary General shall record the decision of the Council as decided by
the majority of the votes received by the said date and communicate such decision to the members of Council. If less
than twenty votes are received by the said date, it shall be presumed that no decision has been made. In the event of
the votes received by the Secretary General as aforesaid being equal, the President shall have a casting vote.
19. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The President, the outgoing President, the Vice-Presidents, the Treasurer and the Secretary General
shall form the Executive Committee with powers, subject to the approval of the Council to direct and manage
the affairs of the Society, to keep the activities of the Society under review, and to report to the Council from
time to time. The Executive Committee shall have power to co-opt not more than two members with power to
vote. Three shall form a quorum, one of them being either the President or a Vice-President. The President or, in
his absence, a Vice-President shall preside. If in the absence of the President, more than one Vice-President is
present the members attending the meeting shall elect one of the Vice-Presidents as a Chairman. The President or
Chairman shall have and exercise, in addition to his vote, a casting vote in the case of an equality of votes.

20. TECHNICAL COMMITTEES

20.1. Creation of Committees : There shall be three main Committees. Highways Specifications &
Standards Committee, Bridges Specifications, Standards Committee and General Specifications and Standards
Committee. The Council or Executive Committee under authorization by the Council or the President under
authorization from the Executive Committee so authorised shall have the power to appoint the Committees, their
Convenors, Member Secretary and Co-convenors and make Rules to direct their working. The Secretary General,
IRC shall appoint the members of the Committees in consultation with the Convenors of the respective
committees. The convenors of Committees may form Sub-committees for specific purpose with a limited tenure.
20.2. Strength of Committees : The Highways, Bridges and General Specifications and Standards
Committees shall not have more than 40 members. The other Committees shall have a maximum of 25 members and
the Sub-Committees not more than 10 members. The above limitation of the strength of the members does not
include ex-officio members, corresponding members and co-opted members. The number of corresponding
members shall not exceed 5.
20.3. Membership : The Committee can have the following types of members.
a) Ex-officio Members : The Director General (Road Development), the President and Secretary
General, IRC shall be Ex-officio members of all committees and they may nominate any person to
attend the meetings on their behalf.
b) Regular Members : Regular members are the members appointed under Rule 20.1 and are expected
to attend all the meetings of the Committee.
c) Corresponding Members : Corresponding members are persons possessing expertise in the subject
being dealt by the Committee/ Sub-committee and are not expected to attend the meetings of the
Committee. They are, however, sent all the Papers relating to the Committee and are expected to give
their views in writing for the consideration of the Committee.
d) Co-opted Members : These are members with specialised knowledge or expertise who are invited to
attend the Committee meetings for a limited purpose of giving views on specified topic/subject.
20.4 Alternate membership on Committees/Sub-committees is not acceptable, except in case of
Departments/Organisations who have been given representation of the Committees/Sub-committees in the name of
the Department/Organisation.
20.5 Tenure : The tenure of the Technical Committee and their Convenors, Co-convenors, Member
Secretary and Members shall be for a minimum period of three years starting with 1st January. This, however, can
be terminated earlier in case of a member is unable to attend the meetings or is unable to continue with the work of
the Committee. Tenure of co-opted members shall end on completion of the work for which they have been co-
opted.
20.6 The working on the Committees will be on purely voluntary basis. Members who do commendable

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 work on a Committee and help in developing Standards, Specifications or in the preparation of a Special
Publication, may with the approval of the Executive Committee be presented with commendation certificate in
recognition of their work.
21. MEETINGS OF THE SOCIETY
There shall ordinarily be a General Session of the Society once a year at such time and place as the
Council shall decide. At this Session there shall be a General Meeting for the purpose of disposing off the following
business:
a. To receive the report of Council and the audited accounts for the previous year, or years
ending 31st March.
b. To elect, under Rule 9, members of the Society to serve on the Council, until the next General
Meeting as aforesaid;
c. To appoint Auditors; and
d. To transact such other authorised business as the President shall allow*.
At such General Session, the Council may arrange for Papers to be read on subjects of professional
and technical interest and for discussion thereon and for works to be visited.
22. The President shall preside at all General Meetings of the Society or shall nominate a Vice-President
or in their absence nominate some other member of Council to preside in his place. In the absence of the President
and of the Chairman nominated by the President at any meeting, the members present shall elect a Chairman. The
Chairman shall have a casting vote.
23. Fifty members present in person shall form a quorum of the General Meeting.
24. ALTERATION AND INTERPRETATION OF RULES
These Rules and Regulations shall not be altered, extended, or abridged without the approval of at
least two-thirds of those present in person at a meeting of the Council and at least 30 days' notice shall have been
given of such meeting and of any proposal to alter, extend, or abridge these Rules and Regulations.
25. In the event of any differences of opinion arising as to the interpretation of the Rules and Regulations,
the decision of the Council shall be final and binding.
26. FRAMING AND ALTERATION OF THE BYE-LAWS
The Council shall have power to make, add to, abridge and amend such bye-laws as may appear to the
Council to be neccesary for the conduct of the Business of the Society, and as shall be consistent with the
Memorandum and Rules and Regulations of the Society.
27. DISSOLUTION
In the event of dissolution of the Society under any circumstances, all the assets and liabilities of the
Society shall be transferred to a similar body or to the Ministry of Surface Transport (Now Ministry of Shipping,
Road Transport & Highways), Government of India, as approved by the Council.

*Note to If a member desires to move a resolution or submit a proposal for the

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