Ethics and Malpractices Statement

General Statement (see also www.nemaindia.org.in)

• Indian Journal of Nematology (IJN), an official publication of the Nematological Society of India (NSI), publishes two issues (June and December) in a calendar year. The journal publishes original research papers on all aspects of Plant parasitic nematodes, Entomopathogenic nematodes, and Free-living nematodes that impact agriculture.
• Research papers and short communications are published based on new findings; besides occasionally, mini-reviews and feature articles are also considered for publication. Articles submitted for publication undergo a peer review process before being accepted for publication.
• The journal seeks articles from those working in the field of plant protection sciences from all over the world, without any prejudice to the nature of the authors or the institution, including gender, race, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political affiliations.
• NSI does not charge any amount for publication but requests that at least one of the authors should be a member of the Society.
• NSI is committed to meeting high standards of ethical behaviour at all stages of the publication process.

The Constitution of Publication Body

• NSI appoints a new Executive Committee (EC) every two years through a general electoral process. Soon after the new EC takes over, a new Editor-in-Chief (EiC) and an Editor are appointed for two years.
• The EiC and the Editor, in consultation with the EC, constitute an Editorial Board (EB) comprising 10-12 members from across the world; the foreign members, besides being global leaders in different areas of specialization, should preferably have inclination and affiliation with nematological research and developments in India.
• It is entirely the responsibility of EiC and the Editor to run the affairs of the Indian Journal of Nematology in consultation with the members of the EB and overall supervision of the EC.

The Publication Protocol

• It is the responsibility of EiC, the Editor, EB members, and the reviewers to maintain the highest standard of ethnicity and confidentiality in the publication process.
• Immediately after receiving a new manuscript, an acknowledgement bearing the Ms. ID is conveyed to the corresponding author.
• The authors have to certify the authenticity of the original research and that the work has not been published earlier or is under consideration for publication elsewhere.
• The article is checked for IJN formatting style and plagiarism.
• Those found suitable are referred to two or more Reviewers who are considered experts in that area through a double-blind process. The EiC takes the decision on reviewers in consultation with the Editor.
• After receiving the comments from reviewers, the EiC conveys the same to the authors.
• The articles recommended for rejection are conveyed to the authors with proper justification for the decision.
• The articles recommended for major/minor revisions are accepted by the authors to the reviewers’ satisfaction after revision.

Maintaining Ethical Practices

• The reviewers, editors, and EB members are expected to exercise caution and ensure that they have no conflict of interest for the articles they accept/reject.
• The evaluation of manuscripts is made based on their merit and intellectual content without having regard to the nature of the authors or the institution, including gender, race, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political affiliations of the authors.
• The reviewers are expected to maintain absolute confidentiality about the contents of manuscripts.
• Reviewers are informed not to consider manuscripts with conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any authors or institutions connected to the papers.
• The editors are expected to exercise caution and ensure that they have no conflict of interest concerning the manuscripts they accept/reject. The members of the EB follow strict confidentiality. They are required not to disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, and Editors.
• Mention of a proprietary product/ commercial formulation/ pesticide does not constitute recommendations/endorsement by the NSI/EB for its use in any form. Use of registered trade names/trademarks etc., in the manuscripts, even without specific indications thereof, unless otherwise stated and solely reflect the individual views of the authors and not necessarily any official view of the NSI/IJN. The NSI/IJN assumes no responsibility for the contents/completeness/views/other items/accuracy of the conclusion reported in the manuscripts by the authors.

Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0)

All articles printed in the Indian Journal of Nematology are governed by the Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license. This allows anybody to reproduce, redistribute, remix, transmit, and adapt the work so long as the original work and source are adequately acknowledged.

Peer Review Policy Statement

The Indian Journal of Nematology follows a rigorous peer review process to ensure the quality and validity of the research published in our journal. We believe that peer review is an essential component of scholarly publishing, which helps maintain the integrity and credibility of scientific research.

Submission

Upon receiving a research paper submission, the editors will conduct an initial review to ensure that the submission adheres to the journal's guidelines and scope. Papers that meet the basic requirements will proceed to the next stage of the peer review process.

Double-blind Review

The Indian Journal of Nematology employs a double-blind peer review system, where the identities of both the authors and the reviewers are kept confidential. This process ensures unbiased evaluations and promotes the objective assessment of the research work.

Reviewers Selection

Expert reviewers from the relevant field are selected from a panel constituted for the purpose by the EB, (experts from outside the panel may be selected based on the specific purpose) to assess the manuscript's scientific quality, originality, methodology, and adherence to ethical guidelines. Reviewers are chosen based on their expertise and experience, and they provide constructive feedback to the authors.

Reviewer Recommendations

Reviewers will provide their recommendations to the editor, which may include one of the following:

Acceptance: The paper is suitable for publication with minor or no revisions.

Minor Revisions: The paper requires minor changes, which can be addressed by the authors.

Major Revisions: The paper requires significant revisions and further evaluation.

Rejection: The paper does not meet the journal's standards and cannot be accepted for publication. The paper may have serious technical flaws. The grounds for rejection are clearly communicated to the authors.

Author's Response and Revision

Authors will receive feedback from the EiC. They are expected to address all the reviewer comments and make necessary revisions to improve the quality and clarity of their paper.

Final Decision

The editors, based on the reviewer's recommendations and the revised manuscript, will make the final decision regarding the acceptance or rejection of the paper.

Ethical Considerations

The Indian Journal of Nematology strictly adheres to ethical guidelines for publication. Plagiarism, data fabrication, and other forms of academic misconduct are not tolerated and may result in the rejection or retraction of the paper.

Timelines

We aim to provide timely and constructive feedback to authors. However, the duration of the review process may vary based on the availability and responsiveness of reviewers.