Ethical Standards and Editorial Responsibility

The South India Journal of Social Sciences (SIJSS), published by the Academy of Social Sciences, is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in academic publishing. The journal follows globally recognized guidelines to ensure the integrity, transparency, and credibility of scholarly work. Editorial decisions are based solely on the quality, originality, and relevance of submissions, free from any commercial, political, or ideological influences.

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to SIJSS affirm that their work is original, has not been published elsewhere, and is not under consideration by any other publication. Proper attribution of sources, through citations and acknowledgments, is required for any ideas, data, or content drawn from other works.

Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and acknowledge all sources of financial support for their research. They are also responsible for obtaining necessary permissions for copyrighted materials, including images and figures, used in their submissions.

All listed authors should have significantly contributed to the research and writing of the manuscript. Individuals with marginal contributions (such as proofreading or administrative support) should be acknowledged separately. The corresponding author must ensure that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final submission.

In cases where authors discover significant errors in their published work, they must promptly notify the journal’s editorial team to facilitate a correction or retraction.

Peer Review and Reviewer Responsibilities

All submitted manuscripts undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review process to ensure scholarly integrity and quality. Reviewers are expected to assess submissions impartially and provide constructive feedback. They must disclose any conflicts of interest that may compromise their objectivity and refrain from using any privileged information acquired during the review process for personal or professional advantage.

Reviewers should evaluate manuscripts based on their intellectual content, methodological rigor, and contribution to the field, without bias related to the author’s identity, affiliation, or background. If they identify ethical concerns, including plagiarism or duplicate submission, they should promptly inform the editorial team.

Editorial Responsibilities and Decision-Making

Editors are responsible for ensuring that the journal maintains high ethical and academic standards. Editorial decisions are based solely on the scholarly merit of submissions and their alignment with the journal’s scope. Editors uphold confidentiality throughout the review process and ensure that manuscripts are evaluated fairly and independently.

To prevent conflicts of interest, editors do not handle manuscripts submitted by their colleagues, students, or recent collaborators. Submissions from editorial board members undergo independent review to maintain transparency.

Publication Integrity and Addressing Misconduct

SIJSS upholds strict policies against research misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, and redundant publication. All submissions are subject to plagiarism checks using reputable detection software such as Turnitin, iThenticate, or similar tools.

If ethical violations are identified, the journal reserves the right to take corrective actions, including manuscript rejection, retraction of published articles, or notification of institutional authorities. Retractions and corrections follow established international guidelines.

By adhering to these principles, SIJSS aims to foster a credible and ethical academic publishing environment, ensuring the integrity of the research it disseminates.