Regional Chapters

A Regional Chapter can be formed in any region within India or out of India provided there are at least fifteen members from the region.

Each Chapter will be an independent body for initiating educational programs, achieving the vision and fulfilling the mission of the Society.

Regional chapters do not need to be registered as a society or a tax-paying unit. The central office will handle any matter that relates to this or arises out of this.

All financial contributions towards the regional chapter must come in the name of the Society only and no other entity is entitled to collect any funds on behalf of the Society.

The contributions are to be made by cheque, bank draft or bank transferto the central account for settlement of the expenditure incurred.

Regional Chapters shall comply with prevailing statutory requirements of the Country. It will be binding on Regional Chapters to submit a copy of their statements of accounts to the central office by 30^th of April each year failing which the concerned Chapter may be debarred from using the name of the Society of Fetal Medicine for its activities.

The President and Secretary of the Regional Chapter will be jointly responsible for remittances and reports to the central office.

All memberships will be Life memberships valid for ten years and have to be with the Central Office directly. The Regional Chapter may keep no part of the membership fee. No annual memberships can be created or collected by the Regional Chapter.

The purpose of the Regional Chapter will be twofold: to promote professional education and skills and to provide a common platform for members to campaign or fight for professional dignity and independence.

A report of activities of the Regional Chapter will be submitted to the central office preferably within four weeks of each activity and latest by the first week of each quarter of the financial year.

Each chapter while using the registered name and logo of the society shall organize the programs only with the concurrence of the central office.

It is mandatory for the regional chapters to inform and take permissions from the Central Office three months in advance of any proposed program. A minimum of three academic activities must be carried out in any financial year to avoid derecognition.The format of the program will have to be in accordance with the SFM format and every program/faculty to be finalized in email communications with the Central Office.Guidelines are to be strictly followed and are listed in Annexure 1.

Paid registration for all scientific events is compulsory for all faculty and delegates, except for central office bearers of the Society. No diagnostic center or individual doctor is authorized to issue program invites or publicity material for any academic event. All communications have to be issued by the President/Secretary of the regional chapter or by the Chairperson/Organizing Secretary of an event, provided the committee of the regional chapter has appointed these.

No publicity material of any diagnostic center is to be distributed or relayed over audio or video during or after the programs. Any action that indicates personal promotion at an SFM event is prohibited and against the spirit of the Society. Derecognition of the chapter and cancellation of membership for 10 years is the punishment for such an activity.

It is illegal to use the registered logo of the society without permission.

Regional Chaptersshall keep the Central Office informed about all actions taken by them with the State Government or other organizations.

Electe d representatives consisting of one President, one Vice President, one Secretary, one Treasurer and one Joint Secretary will run the Regional Chapter.

Elections to these posts have to be completed by 28^th February of the year when these take place.

The term of the elected committee will be two years and will commence on 1^st April of the year.

In the year of establishing the Regional Chapter, founder members can be nominated. Their term in office will extend to the next 31^st of March only.

In all the academic activities of the society, the office bearers have to ensure that all speakers, panelists and moderators are members of the Society. No non-member is permitted to speak at any event of the society.