Quality Control Policy

Our journal is committed to keep a quality check in all processes and ensure quality in input, processes and product. We receive manuscripts from a vast range of disciplines and from local and international authors. It is a tedious task to scrutinize inputs/manuscripts for a bare minimum quality standard. Following are quality control measures in input, processes and product level;

• Once the manuscript is received through online journal management system (OJS in our case), the editor send it for plagiarism check through licensed Turnitin software. If it has a similarity index 18% or less and single source citation not more than 4%, then it enters into further process, otherwise rejected.
• The manuscript is allotted a unique ID by the editor after plagiarism check is cleared. Editor assigns this manuscript to an associate or a sub-editor.
• A preliminary check is run by the associate or sub-editor regarding the scope of the journal, format and bibliography. Then the cover page and all affiliations are removed from the manuscript before sharing with the reviewers.
• We have a Double blind peer review Editorial review is also done for some papers when and where necessary before submitting to external peer reviewers.
• A pool of experienced peer reviewers is used to select peer reviewers for each manuscript.
• Usually it takes 2 weeks to run a preliminary editorial check and assign reviewers.
• In case of need for editorial review, it takes 2 to 4 weeks’ time and then the manuscript is assigned to external peer reviewers.
• Peer reviewers are asked to submit their responses/report within a 2 weeks’ time and then a first reminder is issued from the assigned associate or sub-editor. After another 10 days a last reminder is issued. If the reviewer doesn’t respond then the manuscript is assigned to a new reviewer.
• Review report is needed from 2 reviewers (One must be from a foreign reviewer) at least before proceeding to any conclusion/editorial decision.
• Review reports are shared with the authors if major or minor changes are advised. Authors are given 4 weeks’ time to rectify.
• The manuscript is forwarded for technical, biostatistical and bibliographic recheck and editing. The Technical Editor has the right to reject the paper and send it back to the author for revision so the manuscript meets all formal and technical requirements of the journal.
• The editor or editor-in-chief is responsible for the final decision about the fate of the manuscript. The paper can be rejected by the Editor-in-Chief/Editor if he/she disagrees with the review, discovered any conflict of interests, or some violation of publication ethics.
• Editorial decision is communicated to the corresponding author through email.
• Author has the right to appeal for another review but the decision lies with editor to accept the request or not.