Meetings Office - FAQs
What services do you provide?
We cater to meetings being organized by community members.
Additionally, we can also help put together the agenda for your meeting and suggest what events can be planned.
We provide services before, during, and after the meeting. As much as we would like to attend all sessions of the event, we will not be able to unfortunately. We might have to attend to other commitments. However, we will be available at our office. In case of any clarifications give us a call at 6337 or 6305.
How much time does it take to organize meetings?
We suggest that the meeting organization process start at least 6 months in advance for an International Meeting and at least 3 months for a National Meeting. If your National Meeting has a budget over 40 lakhs, we need additional approvals. Request you to kindly reach out to us at least 3 months in advance.
What is the procedure to organize a meeting?
What are some things to keep in mind for meeting organization?
What is the need to create a WhatsApp group?
For clear communication and so that everyone is on the same page. In case we are not informed about last-minute changes, a lot of confusion is caused. That is a non-ideal situation. We will dissolve the group after the event.
Why is it taking so long to get reimbursed/get the closing budget?
This depends on various factors:
- Providing physical invoices or print copies of invoices wherever applicable as soon as the meeting is over
- Providing fully filled-out/signed TA forms
- Providing boarding passes, tickets, cab bills, etc.
- Providing accurate bank details of the individual
- Our hospitality, hostel, and reception team provide bills for services once a month
- There are specific people who handle specific reimbursements. Hence, reimbursements will be processed accordingly.
Why is there a difference between what I claimed vs what I received?
This can depend on:
- Taxes being deducted
- If the organizer agreed that travel reimbursement be equal to the 3rd AC train fee and someone traveled by flight, you will see a difference.
- Unless it is agreed upon, the 3rd AC train fee and economy class airfare are paid to national and international attendees respectively.
Why am I being charged a 15% overhead?
- It takes a village to organize a meeting. There are countless people involved like housekeeping, hospitality, civil, instrumentation, accounts, admin, meetings office etc. who put in a lot of time and effort to help with the meeting. These overheads acocunt for the services provided and these charges go into a common budget code used by many departments. These funds do not go to the Meetings Office alone or to our salaries.
- The numbers that we indicate are just part of the proposed budget. Many times there is a deficit and the 15% overhead and venue charges get waived off. Many times organizers choose to transfer the funds to another budget code without the 15% overhead. So, in actuality, the charges are not being deducted at all. These are non-ideal conditions.
- As per an office order, 15% overhead will be charged on everything except for travel reimbursement.