The International Journal of Ayurveda360 is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, fairness, and professionalism in scholarly publishing. These guidelines set forth the ethical responsibilities of all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, reviewers, editors, the publisher, and society stakeholders. By adhering to these principles, we aim to ensure a transparent and ethical process for the advancement of Ayurveda and integrated medical sciences.

Core Ethical Principles

We are guided by the following core principles:

• Integrity: Upholding the truthfulness and accuracy of scientific communication.
• Transparency: Ensuring open and honest communication between all parties.
• Fairness: Treating all submissions and participants without bias or discrimination.
• Accountability: Taking responsibility for the quality and integrity of the published record.

Responsibilities of the Publisher

1. Guardianship of the Scholarly Record

• The publisher safeguards the integrity of the scholarly record by supporting journal editors and peer reviewers.
• It ensures adherence to best practices in handling errors, retractions, and ethical concerns.
• As a publisher, we recognize our duty to maintain the “minutes of science” for future generations.

2. Safeguarding Editorial Independence

• Editorial decisions are made independently of commercial influence, including advertising or reprint revenue.
• We ensure that editorial content is evaluated solely based on academic merit.

3. Supporting Editorial Processes

• Provide editors with the technical, procedural, and legal support needed to make impartial decisions.
• Facilitate communication between journals and stakeholders for ethical issues, complaints, or disputes.

4. Promoting Publishing Ethics

• Offer training and resources for authors, reviewers, and early career researchers on ethical publishing practices.

Duties of the Editor

1. Publication Decisions

• The Editor-in-Chief holds the final responsibility for deciding which articles are published, guided by:
  • Policies of the editorial board.
  • Peer reviewers’ recommendations.
  • Legal and ethical considerations, including libel, plagiarism, and copyright.

2. Peer Review Oversight

• Ensure that the double-blind peer review process is fair, unbiased, and timely.
• Select expert reviewers while ensuring diversity and avoiding potential biases.
• Address any conflicts of interest among reviewers and assess self-citation suggestions critically.

3. Fair Play

• Manuscripts are evaluated solely on intellectual merit, without regard to the author’s race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or political beliefs.
• Editorial board members are selected to ensure inclusive and diverse representation.

4. Confidentiality

• Protect all submitted materials and communications during the review process.
• Avoid using unpublished materials for personal gain without the author’s explicit consent.

5. Conflict of Interest

• Editors must disclose any competing interests and take measures to avoid their influence on editorial decisions.
• For ongoing conflicts (e.g., patents, affiliations), disclosures will be listed on the journal’s website.

6. Appeals and Investigations

• Establish a transparent mechanism for authors to appeal editorial decisions.
• Cooperate with the publisher in investigating ethical complaints and issue corrections or retractions if necessary.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

1. Peer Review Process

• Provide constructive, objective, and timely feedback to improve the manuscript’s quality.
• Maintain the confidentiality of all reviewed materials and communications.

2. Use of AI in Peer Review

• Reviewers must not use AI tools to generate reviews or evaluate the scientific content of a manuscript. AI cannot replace the critical thinking and ethical judgment required for peer review.
• Reviewers are accountable for the content and accuracy of their reports.

3. Disclosure of Conflicts

• Reviewers must disclose any personal or professional conflicts of interest that could affect their impartiality and recuse themselves when appropriate.

4. Acknowledging Sources

• Identify missing citations or relevant published work.
• Notify editors of any substantial similarities with other works.

5. Ethical Conduct

• Avoid personal criticism of the authors.
• Ensure objectivity in their assessment and provide feedback supported by clear arguments.

Responsibilities of Authors

1. Reporting Standards

• Present an accurate and honest account of the research performed and its significance.
• Provide sufficient detail to enable replication of the work.

2. Originality and Plagiarism

• Submit only original work and properly attribute all sources. Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable.

3. Authorship Criteria

• Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the study.
• All co-authors must approve the final manuscript and agree to its submission.

4. Disclosure of Conflicts and Funding

• Authors must disclose all financial or non-financial conflicts of interest and funding sources related to the research.

5. Use of AI in Manuscript Preparation

• Authors may use AI tools to improve the language and readability of their work but must disclose this in the manuscript.
• The use of AI for generating content, conducting research, or analyzing data must also be disclosed and justified.

6. Errors in Published Works

• If errors are discovered post-publication, authors must promptly notify the editor to issue corrections or retractions as needed.

7. Ethical Compliance

• Research involving human or animal subjects must comply with relevant ethical guidelines and include evidence of institutional approvals.

AI Usage Policy

For Authors:

• AI tools can be used for language enhancement (e.g., grammar, readability) but must be disclosed in the manuscript’s acknowledgments or a dedicated section.
  
  Eg: This manuscript was prepared with the assistance of [tool name], which was used to improve language clarity.

For Reviewers:

• Reviewers are prohibited from using AI tools to analyze manuscripts or draft reviews, as the responsibility for ethical and critical evaluation lies solely with human reviewers.

Open Access and Peer Review Timelines

Open Access Model

• The journal follows the gold open access model, with articles freely available immediately upon publication.
• APCs range between ₹1,250 and ₹1,500, based on the need for statistical analysis and the number of reviewers required.

Peer Review Timeline

• Manuscript receival and reviewer assignment: 24-28 hours.
• First review report: 7-12 days.
• Revise and resubmit: 7-12 days.
• Second review report: 7-12 days.
• Final acceptance and draft preparation: 3-4 days.
• Proofreading and publication: 8-10 days.

Thus,

The International Journal of Ayurveda360 is committed to fostering a culture of integrity, respect, and academic excellence. By adhering to these ethical guidelines, we ensure the credibility and impact of the research published in our journal. For further details, visit our website or contact us at journal@ayurveda360.in.