Publication Ethics & Malpractice Policy

Samvakti Journals is committed to ensuring the highest standards of publication ethics and scholarly integrity. This policy outlines the ethical responsibilities of authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher, and describes how the journal handles misconduct, conflicts of interest, corrections, and complaints.

This document serves as the umbrella policy under which all journal-specific and process-specific policies operate.

1. Guiding Principles

Samvakti Journals follows internationally accepted principles of research integrity, responsible authorship, peer-review ethics, transparency, and accountability.

Ethical expectations for all stakeholders—authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher—are described in detail across our dedicated ethics pages:

These role-based ethics codes are integral components of this umbrella policy.

2. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors must ensure that:

  • Submitted work is original, accurate, and complete
  • Data is genuine, not fabricated or manipulated
  • All sources are properly cited
  • Authorship reflects significant contributions
  • Conflicts of interest are fully disclosed
  • Ethical approvals (when required) are obtained
  • AI tools, if used, are properly disclosed per the AI Tools Usage Policy
  • Data availability is clearly stated per the Data Availability Policy

Authors must not engage in:

  • Plagiarism
  • Self-plagiarism
  • Duplicate submissions
  • Data falsification or fabrication
  • Unethical research practices

Misconduct is handled under the Research Misconduct Policy.

3. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must:

  • Conduct objective, timely, and constructive reviews
  • Maintain confidentiality of all manuscripts
  • Decline review when conflicts exist
  • Not use manuscript content for personal advantage
  • Not upload unpublished content into AI systems
  • Report ethical concerns to the editorial office

Reviewer responsibilities are detailed in the Reviewer Ethics Code.

4. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors must:

  • Make fair and unbiased decisions
  • Maintain confidentiality
  • Manage conflicts of interest transparently
  • Ensure integrity of the peer review process
  • Act promptly on ethical concerns
  • Oversee corrections, withdrawals, and retractions
  • Not use AI tools to evaluate confidential manuscripts

Editorial duties are described in the Editor Ethics Code.

5. Responsibilities of the Publisher

Samvakti Journals (Publisher) is responsible for:

  • Maintaining publication standards
  • Ensuring transparent editorial processes
  • Managing digital preservation per the Digital Preservation & Archiving Policy
  • Providing accurate indexing and metadata per the Indexing & Metadata Transparency Policy
  • Overseeing corrections, retractions, and withdrawals
  • Maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record

Full publisher expectations are outlined in the Publisher Ethics Code.

6. Conflicts of Interest (COI)

All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any conflicts of interest, including:

  • Financial interests
  • Personal relationships
  • Institutional or competitive influences

Details: Conflict of Interest (COI) Disclosure Policy

7. Plagiarism & Similarity Checking

All submissions undergo plagiarism and similarity screening.

  • Similarity must be within acceptable limits
  • Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, is prohibited
  • Violations may result in rejection or retraction

Full details: Plagiarism & Similarity Check Policy

8. Research Misconduct

Misconduct includes:

  • Fabrication
  • Falsification
  • Plagiarism
  • Unethical research practices
  • Undisclosed COI
  • Misuse of AI tools

Investigations follow the Research Misconduct Policy.

9. Corrections, Retractions, and Withdrawal

Samvakti Journals maintains the scholarly record through transparent correction processes:

  • Corrections for minor errors
  • Retractions for major ethical violations
  • Article withdrawal (pre-publication) per the Author Withdrawal Policy

Details: Retraction / Correction / Withdrawal Policy

10. Peer Review Process

All journals follow a structured peer-review workflow.

Details are provided here:
Peer Review Process

Peer review integrity is supported by:

  • Reviewer Ethics Code
  • Editorial independence
  • Confidentiality requirements
11. Data Availability & Transparency

Authors must include a Data Availability Statement consistent with:

  • Ethical and legal requirements
  • Repository choice (flexible)
  • Transparency expectations

Details: Data Availability Policy

12. AI Tools Usage

AI use is permitted only with full disclosure and adherence to ethical guidelines.

Full details: AI Tools Usage Policy

13. Indexing Transparency

Indexing information is:

  • Accurately presented
  • Never overstated
  • Updated when changes occur

Details: Indexing & Metadata Transparency Policy

14. Complaints & Appeals

Authors, reviewers, or readers may submit complaints regarding:

  • Editorial decisions
  • Ethical concerns
  • Peer review conduct
  • Policy violations

Complaints are handled fairly and confidentially by the editorial office.

15. Privacy & Confidentiality

The journal:

  • Protects user data
  • Ensures confidentiality of submissions
  • Does not share personal information except as required by law
16. Disclaimer & Legal Responsibility

Liability limitations and legal terms are outlined in:

Disclaimer Policy

17. Updates to This Policy

Samvakti Journals may revise this policy to reflect evolving ethical standards, legal requirements, and publishing best practices.
The most current version will always be available on the journal website.

18. Contact Information

For questions regarding this policy:

Samvakti Journals Editorial Office
Email: editorial.office@samvaktijournals.com
Website: https://www.samvaktijournals.com

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