Department of Science and Technology
Agharkar Research Institute
AGHARKAR RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Contingency Management Plan

Institute Name: Agharkar Research Institute,
Approved By: Director/Board/Compliance Officer

1. Purpose

To provide a structured approach for responding to disruptions that could impact research activities, data integrity, facilities, or IT systems at Agharkar Research Institute.

2. Scope

This plan applies to all research departments, administrative offices, IT infrastructure, and data systems. It covers natural disasters, cybersecurity incidents, utility failures, equipment loss, and other disruptions.

3. Objectives

  • Maintain continuity of critical research and administrative functions.

  • Protect sensitive research data and intellectual property.

  • Minimize damage and recovery time following a disruption.

  • Ensure safety and clear communication with all stakeholders.

4. Risk Assessment

Threat Likelihood Impact Mitigation
Cyberattack Medium High Firewalls, backups, MFA
Power outage High Medium UPS, backup generators
Fire or flood Low High Fire suppression, cloud backups
Hardware failure Medium Medium Equipment redundancy
Network outage Medium High Redundant connections

6. Response Plan

a. Activation Criteria

  • The plan is activated by the Contingency Management Team upon detecting a major disruption.

b. Immediate Actions

  • Notify key personnel and stakeholders.

  • Activate recovery teams (IT, Facilities, Security).

  • Assess extent of disruption and begin incident logging.

c. Communication

  • Internal: Email, SMS alerts, institute intranet.

  • External: Stakeholders, funders, collaborators via email or official website.

8. Recovery Strategy

  • Data Recovery: From daily cloud and local backups.

  • IT Systems: Restore from virtual machine snapshots; failover systems.

  • Facility Use: Relocate to alternate lab spaces if primary facilities are unusable.

  • Staff Operations: Enable remote work for admin and non-lab research staff.

9. Training and Testing

  • Conduct annual simulation exercises.

  • Quarterly tabletop drills for key departments.

  • Mandatory training modules for all staff.

10. Review and Maintenance

  • Reviewed every 12 months or following a major incident.

  • Changes must be approved by the CMP Coordinator and reviewed by department heads.

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