The Sri Guru Nanak Dev Education Trust - Journal of Research in Education and Social Sciences (SGNDET-JRESS) is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. We strictly follow best practices to ensure transparency, fairness, and accountability throughout the editorial and publishing process.

Open access publishing is central to our philosophy. Neither readers nor institutions are charged for access to articles. All published content is freely available for reading, downloading, copying, distribution, printing, and linking, provided that appropriate credit is given to the original authors and source. To sustain this model, publication costs are covered by author institutions or research funding bodies through Open Access Article Processing Charges (APCs).

Commercial considerations such as advertising or reprints have no influence on editorial decisions. The Editorial Board works independently to safeguard academic integrity and will cooperate with other journals and publishers when ethical clarifications or corrections are required.

Duties of Editors

• Fair Play and Independence: Editors evaluate all submissions on academic merit—importance, originality, methodological soundness, and relevance—without discrimination based on authors’ race, gender, religion, political beliefs, nationality, or institutional affiliation.
• Confidentiality: Editors and editorial staff will not disclose information about submitted manuscripts to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, or relevant editorial advisors.
• Conflict of Interest: Editors must not use unpublished information from submitted manuscripts for personal advantage. Editors will recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where conflicts of interest exist.
• Publication Decisions: The Editor-in-Chief makes final decisions regarding publication based on peer-review reports, relevance to the journal, and ethical/legal standards.

Duties of Reviewers

• Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Peer reviewers provide objective assessments that support editors in making publication decisions and guide authors in improving their manuscripts.
• Promptness: Reviewers who feel unqualified or unable to complete a review promptly should decline the invitation and inform the editor.
• Confidentiality: Manuscripts under review are confidential documents and must not be shared or discussed with others.
• Objectivity: Reviews should be clear, evidence-based, and free of personal criticism.
• Acknowledgement of Sources: Reviewers should identify relevant, uncited work and report any substantial similarity or overlap with other known publications.
• Conflicts of Interest: Reviewers must disclose conflicts of interest and recuse themselves where necessary. Unpublished material may not be used for personal research without written consent from the authors.

Duties of Authors

• Reporting Standards: Authors must present original research with accuracy, clarity, and sufficient detail to allow replication. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements are unacceptable.
• Data Access and Retention: Authors may be asked to provide raw data during review and should ensure long-term accessibility through repositories where possible.
• Originality and Plagiarism: Submissions must be original. Use of others’ work must be properly cited or quoted. All forms of plagiarism are unethical and prohibited.
• Multiple or Redundant Publication: Authors must not submit the same work to multiple journals or publish substantially similar work elsewhere.
• Authorship Criteria: Authorship should be limited to those who made significant contributions to the conception, execution, or interpretation of the study. All co-authors must approve the final manuscript. Others who contributed should be acknowledged appropriately.
• Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose financial or non-financial conflicts that may influence results or interpretations.
• Hazards and Human/Animal Subjects: Research involving hazardous materials, human participants, or animals must comply with relevant ethical standards and include institutional approval and informed consent.
• Corrections: Authors must promptly notify editors if significant errors are discovered in their published work and cooperate with corrections or retractions where necessary.

Duties of the Publisher

• Ethical Oversight: The publisher, in collaboration with the editors, will act promptly in cases of suspected misconduct, ensuring corrections, retractions, or clarifications are published when necessary.
• Integrity of the Record: The publisher works to prevent the publication of papers where misconduct has occurred and does not encourage or tolerate unethical behavior.
• Accessibility and Preservation: The publisher ensures permanent availability and preservation of published content through digital archiving and partnerships with relevant repositories.

Compliance with International Standards

This journal follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and adheres to internationally recognized standards of ethical publishing. Authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher share responsibility for maintaining the integrity of the academic record.