ASSI Thesis Guidelines Version 1.0 Dated 13 June 2018-2
ASSI Thesis Guidelines Version 1.0 Dated 13 June 2018-2
ASSI Thesis Guidelines Version 1.0 Dated 13 June 2018-2
Every candidate registered for the ASSI fellowship programme shall carry out research on an assigned project
under the guidance of a recognised Chief Guide/Co-Guide. The result of this research work should be
recorded, analyzed, written up and submitted in the form of a thesis.
1. Last date for submission of Thesis will be 30th of June of exit year. Discretion of Research Committee to
accept the thesis after the above schedule: a maximum period of 15 days. No extension beyond this
period is admissible under any circumstance.
2. He/she must be allocated a guide by the Research committee within a month of his/her joining the
centre.
3. The candidate has to submit the thesis protocol within three months from date of admission i.e before
31st December of admission year.
4. The terminology to be used in Thesis protocol/Thesis shall be Chief Guide and Co-guide only. There will
be only one Chief –Guide. A candidate should have only those many co-guides who are just needed for
the guidance of thesis work upto a maximum of three co-guides.
5. In case a co-guide is required to be included, due to nature of research, from a nonteaching department
or a department where a recognised mentor is not available , in that case ; since there can be no co-
guide ; that department can be included as a co-investigative department and no name shall be written.
Only the department name shall be written as co-investigative department in thesis protocol/thesis.
6. In case a co-guide is required to be included , due to nature of research, from an outside institution,
he/she should be a recognised mentor from ASSI. He/she can be allowed to be associated as a co- guide,
for that thesis only, provided the Chief Guide and the candidate seek necessary permission and is
recommended by the ASSI Research Committee.
7. In case a co-guide is required to be included , due to nature of research, from an outside institution,
which is not affiliated to ASSI and the person to be taken as a co-guide is not a recognised mentor of ASSI
, then the ASSI Research Committee may grant necessary permission, on recommendation of the chief
guide and duly forwarded by him for the person to be associated as co-guide in that particular thesis
after considering the (CV)qualification, experience and designation of the person.
8. Maximum extension given for submission of thesis protocol will be one month.
9. If any candidate wants to change the thesis-protocol, it may be permitted within the next three months
i.e. within 6 months from the date of admission of the candidate. However, if the period exceeds 6
months, the Research committee may permit the same at its own discretion on the
and write it in the form of a Protocol. While selecting a topic for research the following aspects should be
taken care of:
1. The feasibility of conducting the study within the available time frame and Resources.
2. The study design should satisfy the statistical requirements in respect of sample size and proposed
statistical analysis of data.
3. It must be ensured that the same thesis topics are not repeated year after year.
4. The thesis-protocol must accompany a disclosure/ undertaking that a similar study has not been
undertaken in last five years under ASSI.
5. No obligation is to be received in any form what so ever, from the Pharmaceutical/ implant companies.
6. The study subjects/patients to be enrolled for thesis purpose, should not be asked to spend for any
tests, medication etc. if they are outside the standard management.
7. The Thesis –protocol must be presented and discussed at the centre level before it is finalised.
8. Each thesis-protocol should be preferably (not mandatory) considered and approved by the
Institutional Ethics committee (IEC) before it is submitted to the ASSI research committee
9. One copy of the Thesis –protocol, after the approval be the IEC should be submitted by the stipulated
date to the ASSI research Committee alongwith the ethical clearance letter .
10. Fellows, who fail to submit the thesis- protocol by stipulated date due to any reason, except maternity
leave, may face serious action like termination of fellowship if recommended by the chief guide.
1. The thesis work must be undertaken strictly, according to stipulated time frame as depicted above, to
ensure proper scrutiny of thesis protocols, ample time for student for research, compilation,
interpretation of data, writing the thesis, timely evaluation of thesis and scope of resubmission of
thesis-protocol and thesis if required.
2. The completed thesis should be submitted to the ASSI research committee through chief guide by the
date specified above. No extension will be granted in this regard. In case a student fails to submit the
thesis in the stipulated time, he/she will be debarred from appearing in the final examination. He/she
will only be permitted to appear in the supplementary examination or in the next examination.
3. It is the responsibility of the fellow, Chief guide, co-guide, to ensure timely procurement of the
materials/equipment etc needed for conduct of the research and timely completion of the thesis. It is
again emphasized that the students and the mentors should refrain from being unrealistic in selecting
the research topic and keep all sorts of uncertainties in mind before finalizing a protocol.
4. Two hard copies of the thesis should be submitted in the following general format:
version 1.0, dated 13 June 2018
ASSOCIATION OF SPINE SURGEONS OF INDIA (ASSI)
To the department of
Institution Name
the result of original work done by Student name in partial fulfillment for the ASSI Fellowship Course.
original work done by me at Institute’s name, Place. This work in part or full has not been submitted to any
other university/institution.
Designation, Place
I dedicate my research work to all my teachers who contributed in my academic growth and with whose
(if any)
Page ii - Certificate
Signature of mentor/guide
Official Stamp / seal
Page iv - Certificate
Student’s signature
Page v - Acknowledgement
• Student write name on right corner at end of acknowledgement
Page vi - Dedication
Chapter 1 - Introduction
⚫ Aims and objectives: “Aims‟ refer to what would be achieved by this study or how
this study would address a bigger question/issue. “Objectives‟ refer to what
would you actually do in this study
⚫ Hypothesis
▪ Write a summary of the review- „What is already known about the subject?,
▪ This should facilitate writing a para on „Rationale for the study‟ which should be
concluding part of the review of literature.
▪ The available literature should be listed in chronological order and write in your own
words rather than reproducing the para from the sources.
Chapter 3 - Methods
⚫ Duration of study including collecting of data, analysis, writing and final submission,
⚫ Sampling technique,
Chapter 7 - Conclusion
References (no chapter number) – but like separate chapter: In Vancouver style only.
Appendix B : Consent Forms/Patient Information Sheet (PIS) (if any):Both Hindi and
English.
The patient information sheet should clearly state the purpose of study, gain
expected out of the study, procedures and tests to be done, how will they be done ,
side effects or risks if any etc) refer sample at the end of the document.
* Every appendix name to be written like a chapter name (e.g. Appendix A evaluation Performa)
in the middle of page, all capitals, size 14.
No Bold font
• Subheading
o Running
o Underlined
o Centre
• Further heading
o Left side with colon at the end
• References
o Vancouver style
Study Title:
(Subject) (i) I confirm that I have read and understood the information sheet dated for
the above study and have had the opportunity to ask questions.
(ii) I understand that my participation in the study is voluntary and that I am free to withdraw at any []
time, without giving any reason, without my medical care or legal rights being affected.
(iii) The procedures required for the study and the time involved have been explained to me, and
any questions I have about the study have been answered to my satisfaction.
(iv) I understand that the Principal Investigator/Site Investigator of the study, others working on []
his/her behalf, the Ethics Committee and the regulatory authorities will have access to my health
records both in respect of the current study and any further research that may be conducted in
relation to it. I agree to this access. However, I understand that my identity will not be revealed in
(v) I agree not to restrict the use of any data or results that arise from this study provided such a use []
3. What does the study involve? Any invasive procedure will be done?
9. Are there any associated risks with the study, including adverse reactions?
11. Whom should I contact if I require further information about the study or my involvement in it?
3.
4. अधय्यन में ककतना समय लगेगा ?
5. अधय्यन के िौरान मेरी क्या ष्िम्मेिारी होगी ?
6. क्या मैं अधय्यन को बीि में छोड़ सकती/सकता हूँ ?
7.