Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

The International Journal for Transparency and Accountability in Governance (IJTAG) is a double-blind peer-reviewed academic journal published annually by the Centre for Transparency and Accountability in Governance (CTAG), National Law University, Delhi. The Journal is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in all aspects of publication—submission, review, authorship, and editorial management.

 

All stakeholders associated with the Journal—authors, editors, reviewers, and readers—are expected to adhere to the following ethical principles and professional standards.

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I. Editorial Responsibilities

1. Fair and Unbiased Review: Editors shall assess all manuscripts solely based on their academic merit—without regard to the author’s ethnic origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, institutional affiliation, or political beliefs.

2. Confidentiality: Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information about submitted manuscripts to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, editorial team members, or publisher, as appropriate.

3. Conflicts of Interest: Editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and must recuse themselves from editorial decisions where a conflict exists. Another editor will be appointed in such cases.

4. Handling of Unethical Behavior: Editors shall act upon allegations of misconduct, even if discovered after publication. This includes investigating complaints and issuing retractions, corrections, expressions of concern, or apologies as necessary.

5. Integrity and Quality Control: Submissions found to be plagiarized, fraudulent, defamatory, obscene, or otherwise illegal shall be rejected. Editors may consult with reviewers or legal experts to make final decisions.

6. Editorial Independence: The Editor shall have full discretion over the content published in the Journal. Submissions from members of the editorial board shall not be accepted for publication.

7. Right of Response If a submission critiques a previously published article, the author(s) of the original article shall be offered an opportunity to respond—subject to standard review processes.

8. Archiving and Open Access: The Journal ensures long-term digital preservation and is committed to open-access publishing, enabling free and unrestricted access to all published content.

 

 

II. Author Responsibilities

1. Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their work is original, properly cited, and does not violate any third-party rights. Submissions must not be plagiarised or concurrently submitted elsewhere.

2. Authorship Criteria: Authorship shall be limited to individuals who have:

   1. Made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, drafting, or revision of the work;

   2. Approved the final version for publication;

   3. Agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the manuscript.

All co-authors must meet these criteria. Contributions not meeting these standards should be acknowledged appropriately, with the prior consent of those acknowledged.

1. Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal relationships that could be perceived to influence the research or its presentation.

2. Reporting Standards: Authors must present an accurate account of their work and its significance. Data should be presented truthfully and with adequate detail for reproducibility.

3. Prior and Concurrent Publications: Authors must disclose any prior publication or simultaneous submission of similar content in other journals. Duplicate submissions or redundant publications are strictly prohibited.

4. Correction of Errors: If authors discover a significant error or inaccuracy after publication, they must promptly notify the Editorial Board and cooperate to retract or correct the work.

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III. Peer Review Policy

• All submissions undergo a double-blind peer review process by at least two subject experts.

• Reviewers are selected based on their academic qualifications and subject-matter expertise.

• The process ensures confidentiality, fairness, and objectivity.

• Reviewers are required to report conflicts of interest and must decline reviews if conflicts exist.

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IV. Allegations of Misconduct

The Editorial Board defines misconduct to include, but not be limited to:

• Plagiarism or data falsification;

• Fabrication of results or unethical experimentation;

• Submission of false information about authorship or affiliations;

• Defamation, libel, or the use of obscene or illegal content;

• Non-disclosure of criminal proceedings, especially those relevant to academic integrity;

• Prior violation of ethics policies at other journals or institutions.

 

All allegations will be investigated thoroughly, regardless of when the manuscript was submitted or published. If necessary, an independent investigation may be conducted by the Faculty Advisor.

 

V. Complaint and Dispute Resolution

Complaints or ethical concerns should be addressed to the Editorial Board via ctag@nludelhi.ac.in. If a complaint concerns a member of the Editorial Board, it will be handled by the Faculty Advisor or an independent committee.

 

There is no time limit for raising ethical concerns related to the Journal.

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VI. Retraction, Corrections, and Expressions of Concern

Upon discovery of significant ethical or factual errors, the Journal will issue an appropriate public notice in a future issue, including but not limited to:

• Corrections;

• Retractions;

• Clarifications or editorial expressions of concern.

 

The form and timing of such notices shall be at the discretion of the Editorial Board.