The NIRT Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) plays a vital role in ensuring scientific and ethical quality standards in research conducted by the Institution and is functional since 1978. The basic responsibility of the IEC is in ensuring a competent review of all ethical and scientific aspects of the project proposals to make adequate protection of dignity, rights and well being of the potential research participants.  

The I EC is an independent body comprising of medical, non-medical, scientific, and non-scientific members. The Chair and Vice-Chairperson are non-affiliated to the Institution while its members include Institutional affiliate and non-affiliate persons. The Member-Secretary and the Secretariat, who are affiliated with the Institution, co-ordinates the functional activities of the IEC.

Meetings are scheduled once every two months, where initial and ongoing reviews of projects are done; need based unscheduled meetings and also conducted. The modalities of the initial reviews are as either exempt, expedited or as full board, which is decided based on the risk involved to the potential research participants and as per the National Ethical Guidelines.

The projects are presented by the study Investigators for the constructive yet critical review in the full board. The IEC also reviews the Serious Adverse Events reported during the implementation of the projects, further ensuring the rights, safety and well-being of the participants.

The IEC is a nationally registered body with the Drug Controller General of India [ECR/135/Inst/TN/2013/RR-16] since 2013, and its functionality is recognised internationally by the Strategic Initiative for Developing Capacity in Ethical Review (SIDCER) since 2013.