Ethics and Malpractice Policy

Ethics and Malpractice Policy

Indian Journal of Health, Sexuality and Culture (IJHSC)

1. Ethical Standards

The Indian Journal of Health, Sexuality and Culture (IJHSC) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics, academic integrity, and transparency in scholarly publishing. The journal follows internationally accepted ethical guidelines and best practices.

2. Author Responsibilities

Authors must ensure that:

  • Submitted manuscripts are original and not under consideration elsewhere.

  • All sources are properly cited and acknowledged.

  • Authorship accurately reflects significant contributions.

  • Data are accurate, authentic, and not fabricated or manipulated.

  • Ethical approval and informed consent are obtained for studies involving human participants or animals.

  • Conflicts of interest and funding sources are disclosed.

  • Use of AI or digital tools is transparently declared.

3. Editorial Responsibilities

Editors must:

  • Make fair, unbiased, and independent publication decisions.

  • Maintain confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.

  • Avoid conflicts of interest.

  • Address ethical complaints and misconduct transparently.

  • Follow COPE principles in handling ethical issues.

4. Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers must:

  • Conduct objective, constructive, and timely reviews.

  • Maintain confidentiality of manuscripts.

  • Declare conflicts of interest.

  • Avoid using unpublished information for personal benefit.

5. Malpractice and Misconduct

Malpractice includes plagiarism, duplicate publication, data falsification or fabrication, unethical research, improper authorship, and undisclosed conflicts of interest.

If misconduct is identified, the journal may:

  • Reject or withdraw the manuscript,

  • Publish corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern,

  • Restrict future submissions from the authors,

  • Notify relevant institutions when necessary.

6. Complaints and Appeals

IJHSC provides a transparent mechanism for handling complaints and appeals related to editorial decisions or ethical concerns. All cases are investigated objectively and confidentially.

7. Policy Review

This policy is reviewed periodically to ensure alignment with international ethical standards and evolving best practices in scholarly publishing.