Article 4

ISAIL Members

1. The Indian Society of Artificial Intelligence and Law offers the following categories of membership:

   1. Individual Membership (Bi-annual): Open to any person interested in the objectives and activities of ISAIL, subject to the eligibility criteria and terms set by the Secretariat. The criteria for membership shall be displayed on the ISAIL website, especially at https://isail.in/membership. 

      1. Tier-1 - Contributing Membership: The Contributing Membership is not granted in perpetuity. Successful completion of a free and online assessment (https://isail.in/test) grants a certification validity of exactly 24 months from the timestamp of issuance. 

      2. Tier-2 - Academic Membership: This is a higher tier membership offered to Contributing Members or individuals, provided that:

         1. They have passed the Contributing Membership Test;

         2. The applicant must be endorsed (in writing) by a Technical Convenor, Policy Convenor of the OpenBharat.net Governing Council, or a Distinguished Expert of the Global Advisory Council, affirming that they are prudent and suitably qualified for nomination as a academic member.

         3. They make their contribution to the Indian Society of Artificial Intelligence and Law by making a bi-annual membership payment or a one-time life membership payment, whichever is made earlier. 

   2. Alliance Membership: Open to organisations eligible as per the OpenBharat.net Charter (OBnC) (formerly called as the AiStandard.io Alliance Charter (Ai-AC)).

2. The membership fees, benefits, and other terms for each category of membership shall be determined and updated by the Secretariat on the websites owned by the Indian Society of Artificial Intelligence and Law.

3. The Indian Society of Artificial Intelligence and Law (“ISAIL”), along with its Secretariat, the Board of Trustees, the OpenBharat.net Governing Council, and the Global Advisory Council, maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward bribery, corruption, fraud, extortion, and abuse of office across all operations and membership tiers. 

   1. All nominations and endorsements including admission to the tier of Academic Member must be determined strictly on objective merit, professional prudence, and demonstrable scholarship. 

   2. Referees and applicants are strictly prohibited from soliciting, offering, or accepting any direct or indirect financial inducement, reciprocal appointment, undisclosed commercial consideration, or improper personal favor in exchange for an endorsement. 

   3. Nominations tainted by such practices shall be deemed void ab initio, resulting in the immediate, permanent disqualification of the applicant from all ISAIL and OpenBharat.net bodies.

   4. Endorsing convenors and advisors, specifically Technical Convenors or Policy Convenors of the OpenBharat.net Governing Council and Distinguished Experts of the Global Advisory Council, bear personal responsibility for conducting reasonable due diligence regarding a candidate’s professional probity before issuing a written recommendation. 

   5. Prior to endorsement, the referee must formally disclose any material financial, corporate, familial, or personal conflicts of interest to the Secretariat; where an unmanageable conflict exists, the referee must recuse themselves. 

   6. If an endorsing convenor or expert knowingly provides a fraudulent certification, conceals serious professional or financial misconduct, or displays gross negligence during vetting, they shall face expedited review by the Board of Trustees, resulting in the immediate revocation of their convenorship or advisory status, removal from all governance bodies, and potential reporting to competent statutory authorities.

   7. A referee shall not recommend any individual where a known conflict of interest, undisclosed personal or commercial affiliation, or quid pro quo arrangement exists. 

   8. If a referee knowingly provides a false recommendation, conceals material misconduct, or acts with gross negligence in vetting a candidate, they shall be subject to immediate disciplinary proceedings. 

   9. Penalties may include formal censure, revocation of the referee’s convenorship or advisory status, and permanent disqualification from all future OpenBharat.net / ISAIL governance bodies.

4. The contribution made towards ISAIL membership constitutes a voluntary donation supporting the Trust's not-for-profit initiatives in artificial intelligence policy as an industry forum under The Bharat Pacific Charter.

   1. This contribution sustains our non-profit activities and qualifies for tax benefits under Sections 12A & 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

   2. Member privileges arise from participation in ISAIL's community and do not constitute commercial services or create contractual obligations.

   3. The Trust maintains complete discretion over community activities and member participation opportunities.

   4. Member contributions are non-refundable and support the Trust's overall mission rather than securing specific services.

   5. By making the membership contribution, members acknowledge they are supporting ISAIL's not-for-profit initiatives under The Bharat Pacific Charter, without expectation of commercial benefits or guaranteed services in return.

5. The Secretariat reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate any category of membership or the membership of any individual or institution at its discretion, in accordance with the bye-laws and objectives of ISAIL.

6. The Board of Trustees reserves the right to modify or terminate any membership privileges at its discretion. All activities are subject to the governance framework established in The ISAIL Charter.

7. Members of ISAIL's social media communities and messaging app groups and the paid subscribers to ISAIL's publications shall not be considered "Members" of ISAIL unless expressly designated as such by the Secretariat.

8. Honorary Academic Membership Designation: Subject to the eligibility criteria and terms set by the Secretariat for Individual Members as may be published on the ISAIL website, the Secretariat may designate students and professionals who exhibit the highest qualities of excellence in their respective fields as Honorary Academic Members. This designation will be granted based on demonstrated expertise, significant contributions to ethics, law, industry, or policy facets associated with artificial intelligence, and a commitment to upholding ISAIL's objectives.

9. In line with ISAIL's commitment to maintaining confidentiality and safeguarding sensitive information related to its strategic initiatives, and proprietary projects, it is imperative that Honorary members agree to terms of non-disclosure, as described:

   1. The Honorary Member acknowledges that during their participation in ISAIL activities, they may have access to Confidential Information.

   2. The Honorary Member agrees to maintain strict confidentiality of all Confidential Information and shall not engage in any unauthorised use including but not limited to disclosure, misuse, sharing, copying, infiltration or transmission.

   3. The Honorary Member shall implement reasonable measures to safeguard the Confidential Information from unauthorised access, use, or disclosure, including secure storage, access controls, and employee training.

   4. The individual acknowledges that their appointment as an Honorary Member is a privilege granted by ISAIL and is subject to strict confidentiality. 

   5. The individual also agrees that they shall not disclose, discuss, or share any details regarding the procedures, formalities, criteria, or internal communications related to the provision or conferral of Honorary Membership. This includes but is not limited to any discussions with ISAIL personnel, Board of Trustees, Global Advisory Council, the OpenBharat.net Governing Council or Secretariat members regarding the process of appointment, terms of membership, or any related communications. 

   6. Any breach of the terms in paragraph 9 of this Article may result in immediate termination of the Honorary Membership and would entail ISAIL to reserve the right to take appropriate measures to further legal action as deemed necessary by ISAIL to protect its reputation and integrity. ISAIL may also consider other remedial actions as necessary to address any potential reputational impact or breach of trust.