The Indian Journal of Technical Education (IJTE)

Publication Ethics

• 1. Commitment to Publication Ethics
  The Indian Journal of Technical Education (IJTE) is committed to maintaining high standards of publication ethics, academic integrity, transparency and responsible research conduct. The journal expects authors, editors, reviewers and all other participants in the publication process to adhere to ethical principles and professional standards.
  
  All manuscripts submitted to IJTE must represent original scholarly work, be prepared with academic integrity and comply with applicable ethical requirements. The journal will address suspected research or publication misconduct fairly, confidentially and on time.
• 2. Responsibilities of Authors
  Authors submitting manuscripts to IJTE are expected to:
  • Originality: Submit original work that has not been published previously and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, except where prior dissemination has been disclosed and expressly permitted by the journal.
  • Accurate reporting: Present research methods, data, results and conclusions accurately and transparently. Fabrication, falsification, selective misrepresentation and misleading reporting are unacceptable.
  • Plagiarism: Properly acknowledge the ideas, words, data, figures, tables and other contributions of others. Plagiarism, including substantial unattributed reuse of an author's own previously published work, is unacceptable.
  • Authorship: Include as authors only those who have made substantial scholarly contributions and who approve the final manuscript. All authors must agree to the submission and take responsibility for the integrity of the work.
  • Acknowledgements: Appropriately acknowledge contributors who do not qualify for authorship and disclose relevant funding and other support.
  • Conflicts of interest: Disclose financial, professional, personal or other interests that could reasonably be perceived to influence the research or its interpretation.
  • Ethical approval: Where research involves human participants, animals, identifiable personal information or other activities requiring ethical review, provide the relevant approval or exemption information and demonstrate compliance with applicable requirements.
  • Permissions: Obtain permission for copyrighted material and appropriately acknowledge third-party content where required.
  • Corrections: Promptly inform the journal if a significant error is discovered in a submitted or published article and cooperate in correcting the scholarly record.
• 3. Editorial Responsibilities
  The Editor-in-Chief and editorial team are responsible for ensuring that editorial decisions are based on scholarly merit, relevance to the journal's scope, originality, methodological quality, ethical compliance and the outcomes of peer review.
  
  Editorial decisions must not be influenced by an author's gender, nationality, institutional affiliation, personal beliefs or professional relationships. The journal will handle manuscripts impartially and maintain confidentiality throughout the editorial process.
  
  Editors must declare any conflict of interest concerning a manuscript and must not handle submissions where such conflicts could compromise impartiality. In such cases, the manuscript should be assigned to an appropriately independent editor.
  
  Editors are responsible for initiating appropriate action when credible concerns arise regarding plagiarism, data integrity, authorship, duplicate publication or other possible ethical violations.
• 4. Peer Review and Reviewer Responsibilities
  IJTE uses editorial screening and peer review to assess the quality, originality, relevance and suitability of submitted manuscripts. Manuscripts may be rejected at the initial screening stage if they fall outside the journal's scope, do not meet basic scholarly standards or raise unresolved ethical concerns.
  
  Manuscripts that proceed to peer review are evaluated by qualified reviewers with relevant subject and articles publication expertise. Reviewers are expected to provide objective, constructive and evidence-based assessments, maintain confidentiality, disclose conflicts of interest and avoid using unpublished information for personal or professional advantage.
  
  Reviewers should inform the editor if they identify substantial similarity with other work, possible research misconduct or concerns about the validity of the manuscript.
  
  The journal's detailed Peer-Review Policy should specify the review model used, the normal number of independent reviewers sought, reviewer-selection procedures, the handling of conflicting recommendations, and the process for editorial decisions and revisions. These details must accurately reflect IJTE's established procedures.
• 5. Plagiarism, Duplicate Submission and Redundant Publication
  IJTE does not accept plagiarism, duplicate submission, or redundant publication that misrepresents the novelty of a manuscript. Manuscripts may be screened using appropriate similarity-detection tools. Similarity index will be assessed in context; a numerical score alone will not determine whether misconduct has occurred.
  
  Authors must disclose relevant prior publications, preprints, conference papers and related manuscripts when required by the journal's submission policy. Any substantial overlap must be transparently explained and evaluated by the editorial team.
  
  Where concerns arise, the journal may seek clarification, conduct further assessment, reject the manuscript or take appropriate post-publication action, depending on the evidence and circumstances.
  
  For detailed similarity screening rules, see the Plagiarism Policy.
• 6. Research Misconduct
  Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to:
  • Fabrication or falsification of research data or results.
  • Plagiarism or unattributed appropriation of others' work.
  • Manipulation or inappropriate alteration of images, data or results.
  • Improper authorship practices or undisclosed material contributions.
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest that materially affect the work.
  • Duplicate or redundant publication, or simultaneous submission contrary to journal policy.
  • Manipulation of the peer-review process.
  • Unethical research involving human participants, animals or sensitive information.
  When a credible allegation is received, the journal will assess the available evidence, seek explanations from the relevant parties where appropriate, and take proportionate action. Serious cases may be referred to the authors' institutions or other appropriate bodies when warranted.
• 7. Conflicts of Interest
  Authors, editors and reviewers must disclose relationships or interests that could influence, or reasonably appear to influence, their judgement. These may include financial interests, employment, consultancy, personal relationships, academic competition or institutional connections.
  
  A disclosed conflict does not automatically require rejection. The journal will assess the circumstances and take suitable measures, such as reassignment of editorial responsibility or appointment of an independent reviewer, to protect the integrity of the process.
• 8. Corrections, Retractions and Expressions of Concern
  IJTE is committed to preserving the accuracy of the scholarly record.
  • Correction: A correction may be published when a verified error requires amendment but does not invalidate the overall findings or conclusions.
  • Retraction: Retraction may be considered when substantial errors, unreliable findings, plagiarism, serious ethical violations or other significant problems undermine the integrity of a published article.
  • Expression of concern: Where serious concerns exist but an investigation remains unresolved, the journal may publish an expression of concern when appropriate.
  Decisions will be based on the available evidence and the seriousness of the issue. Authors will normally be given an opportunity to respond. Relevant notices should clearly identify the affected article and explain the reason for the action, while respecting applicable confidentiality and legal requirements.
• 9. Complaints and Appeals
  Authors and other stakeholders may submit substantiated complaints or appeals concerning editorial decisions, peer-review conduct or publication ethics to the journal through “Authors' Feedback/Grievances,” available on www.ijteonline.in.
  
  Complaints will be assessed impartially by an appropriate editorial representative who is not directly involved in the matter, wherever practicable. Appeals should identify the specific grounds for reconsideration and provide supporting information. An appeal does not guarantee a change in the original decision.
• 10. Confidentiality and Data Protection
  Editors and reviewers must treat submitted manuscripts and associated correspondence as confidential. Manuscripts must not be shared or used for purposes unrelated to editorial assessment without appropriate authorization.
  
  Personal information obtained during submission, review and publication will be handled in accordance with applicable data-protection requirements and the journal's privacy policy.
• 11. Publisher's Responsibilities
  The publisher, the Indian Society for Technical Education (ISTE), and the journal's editorial leadership share responsibility for maintaining publication integrity and supporting fair editorial processes.
  
  The publisher and editorial team should provide appropriate procedures for addressing ethical concerns, correcting the published record and responding to credible allegations of misconduct. Editorial independence should be respected, and commercial or institutional considerations must not improperly influence scholarly decisions.
• 12. Use of Artificial Intelligence
  Authors must comply with IJTE's applicable policy on generative artificial intelligence and AI-assisted tools. Such tools must not be listed as authors. Authors remain responsible for the accuracy, originality, attribution, confidentiality and integrity of submitted content, including content produced or modified with AI assistance.
  
  Any disclosure requirements, permitted uses, and restrictions should be specified in the journal's Author Guidelines and applied consistently.
• 13. Ethical Oversight and Policy Review
  IJTE may review and update this statement as publication standards and applicable guidance evolve. Ethical concerns will be considered on a case-by-case basis, with due regard to fairness, confidentiality, evidence and the need to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.
  
  The journal encourages authors, reviewers and readers to report substantiated concerns through its official editorial contact channel.
  
  Editorial contact: editor@ijteonline.in
  Journal website: https://www.ijteonline.in/