Types of Members

LIFE MEMBER means a member of THE COCHLEAR IMPLANT GROUP OF INDIA who holds a Diploma/Degree in ENT from a recognized University in India or abroad and has paid the life membership fee and/or a Degree in Speech and Hearing and/or a Degree in Rehabilitation/Special Education for the Hearing Impaired from a recognized University in India or abroad and has paid the life membership fee. All the above qualifications must be recognized by the respective Statutory Body of India. A life member is approved by the Executive Committee and then ratified by the General Body of CIGI.

ORDINARY MEMBER means a person who, having been admitted to membership of THE COCHLEAR IMPLANT GROUP OF INDIA in accordance with the rules and regulations thereof, shall have paid his annual subscription fee and no person shall be entitled to vote or be counted as a life-member. Such person shall be those undergoing undergraduate or postgraduate training in Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, Special education for the hearing impaired, or ENT or qualified Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, Rehabilitation/Special Education for the hearing impaired, or ENT professionals working in Industry and has paid the annual subscription fee. This membership must be duly approved by the Executive Committee.

ASSOCIATE MEMBER means a member of THE COCHLEAR IMPLANT GROUP OF INDIA who is from other allied fields ancillary to Speech, Language, Hearing, ENT, and related areas like Industry rendering significant contribution to the growth of Cochlear Implants and related sciences and has paid the annual subscription fee. Such members shall not be entitled to vote or be counted as life members. An Associate Member is approved by the Executive Committee.

MEMBERSHIP PRIVILEGES : The Privileges of the Membership for different types of Memberships are as follows:

• The Life Members / Founder Members shall be entitled to participate in all activities of the Association, and also shall have the right to vote and can contest for the positions of the Office Bearer / Executive Committee.
• The Ordinary Members/ Associate Members can present scientific papers and shall be entitled to participate in all the academic activities of the Association but are not entitled to vote at the meetings of the association or hold the position of an Office Bearer / Executive Committee.

MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION AMOUNTS : The membership subscription fees for the different types of memberships of the Association shall be the following. An additional surcharge as applicable would be levied as necessary (for example, Goods and Services Tax - GST) in all three categories:

LIFE MEMBERSHIP : The Life Members / Founder Members shall be entitled to participate in all activities of the Association, and also shall have the right to vote and can contest for the positions of the Office Bearer / Executive Committee.

ORDINARY MEMBERSHIP : The annual subscription fee for Ordinary Membership shall be Rs.2,000/- plus taxes payable at the time of submission of application and is valid until 31st March of the Current Financial Year. This type of membership can be subscribed for a maximum of, successive or intermittent, three years. After this, if eligible one can apply for life membership.

ASSOCIATE MEMBER : The annual subscription fee for Associate Membership shall be Rs.3,000/- plus taxes payable at the time of submission of application and is valid until 31st March of the Current Financial Year. Subscription fees may be subject to revision every five years, with the permission of the General Body

THE PROCESS OF ADMITTANCE FOR MEMBERSHIP :

• The prescribed application form for Life / Ordinary / Associate Membership shall be procured from the Secretary/Treasurer or the homepage of the CIGI Website and shall be returned duly filled along with the remittance of the specified Membership Fee by way of cash or online transaction in favor of THE COCHLEAR IMPLANT GROUP OF INDIA.
• The applicant shall be recommended by two Life Members whose names appear on the Registers of the Association as existing Life Members and such applications shall be sent to the Secretary up to 15 days in advance of the Executive Committee Meeting (ECM) prior to the Annual General Body Meeting (AGM). All life-membership applications received after such time will be ratified in the AGM scheduled next year.
• All applications for the Ordinary Members and Associate Members shall be reviewed and approved by the Executive Committee.
• The remitted fee shall be refunded, only if the membership is not approved by the Executive Committee or ratified by the General Body.

APPROVAL OF MEMBERSHIP :

• The Executive Committee shall verify and decide the eligibility and the type of membership to which the prospective applicant may be admitted.
• The Executive Committee shall have the right to reject the application to the membership by assigning valid and lawfully tenable reasons thereof.
• The decision of the Executive Committee shall be final subject to the ratification of the General Body meeting that follows.
• The Ordinary Members and Associate Members shall be approved by the Executive Committee, however, their membership is valid until the end of that financial year.
• Life Members shall be entitled to participate in all the activities of the Association including the right to vote (one vote per member).
• Life Members shall be entitled to receive the journal/newsletter free of charge.