Regulatory Framework

This policy is framed in accordance with the University Grants Commission (Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2018, notified in the Gazette of India on 23 July 2018. AIRJ adopts the definitions, similarity thresholds, exclusions and penalty framework prescribed by the UGC, and applies them to all manuscripts submitted for publication.

Definition of Plagiarism

In line with UGC Regulations, 2018, plagiarism is defined as "the practice of taking someone else's work or idea and passing them as one's own." This includes, but is not limited to, copying verbatim text from another source without quotation marks and proper citation; paraphrasing or rephrasing another author's work without proper acknowledgment; using ideas, concepts, data, tables, figures or images from another source without citing the original work; and reproducing one's own previously published work without disclosure (self-plagiarism).

Definition of Academic Integrity

Academic integrity, as defined by the UGC, is the intellectual honesty in proposing, performing and reporting any activity that leads to the creation of intellectual property. AIRJ expects all authors, reviewers and editors to uphold this standard at every stage of the publication process.

Scope of Plagiarism Policy

This policy applies to all submissions to AIRJ, including but not limited to research articles, review papers, case studies, short communications, book chapters, and any other form of academic or scientific writing. It applies equally to first-time submissions, revised submissions, and post-publication material.

Author Undertaking

Every author submitting a manuscript to AIRJ must furnish a signed undertaking declaring that:

• The submitted manuscript is the author's original work.
• The work is free of plagiarism and has not been submitted or published elsewhere in whole or in part.
• The manuscript has been checked using a recognised plagiarism detection tool prior to submission.
• All sources, whether textual, statistical, visual or electronic, have been properly cited and acknowledged.
• All co-authors have reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

Supervisor / Corresponding Author Certificate

For manuscripts arising from postgraduate, M.Phil. or Ph.D. research, the supervisor is required to submit a certificate stating that the work carried out under his or her guidance is plagiarism-free. The corresponding author bears equivalent responsibility for the integrity of the submitted manuscript in all other cases.

Plagiarism Detection Process

AIRJ uses UGC-approved plagiarism detection software (such as Turnitin, Drillbit, iThenticate, or ShodhShuddhi via INFLIBNET) to screen all submissions. Authors are also required to submit a similarity report from a reputable plagiarism detection tool along with their manuscript. Every manuscript is checked for plagiarism at the time of forwarding for peer review, and again prior to final publication.

Exclusions from Similarity Check

In accordance with Regulation 7 of the UGC Regulations, 2018, the following are excluded when calculating the similarity percentage of a manuscript:

• All quoted work reproduced with necessary permissions and/or proper attribution.
• All references, bibliography, table of contents, preface, and acknowledgements.
• All generic terms, laws, standard symbols, and standard equations.
• Common knowledge or coincidental terms, up to fourteen (14) consecutive words.

The similarity percentage evaluated against the levels below refers to the score after these exclusions are applied, not the raw similarity score.

Levels of Plagiarism

AIRJ adopts the four-level classification prescribed by UGC Regulations, 2018:

Consequences of Plagiarism

Penalties for plagiarism in submissions to AIRJ align with Regulation 12.2 of the UGC Regulations, 2018 (penalties for plagiarism in academic and research publications):

• Level 0 (up to 10%): Minor similarities. No penalty; the manuscript proceeds through normal editorial review.
• Level 1 (above 10% up to 40%): The author shall be asked to withdraw the manuscript. Resubmission may be permitted after substantive revision, at the discretion of the editorial board.
• Level 2 (above 40% up to 60%): The manuscript shall be withdrawn. If the author holds an academic position, this level of plagiarism is reportable to the author's institution, where it may attract denial of one annual increment and a two-year bar on supervising new Master's, M.Phil., or Ph.D. scholars, as prescribed by the UGC.
• Level 3 (above 60%): The manuscript shall be withdrawn. The matter is reportable to the author's institution, where the UGC framework prescribes denial of two successive annual increments and a three-year bar on supervising new research scholars. AIRJ additionally bars the author from submitting future manuscripts for a defined period, to be determined by the editorial board.

Penalty on Repeated Plagiarism

If an author is found guilty of plagiarism on more than one occasion, the penalty imposed shall be one level higher than the previous offence. Where the highest level of plagiarism (Level 3) is committed a second time, AIRJ shall permanently bar the author from future submissions and shall report the matter to the author's institution for disciplinary action, including suspension or termination as per applicable service rules.

Post-Award / Post-Publication Plagiarism

If plagiarism is proven on a date later than the acceptance, publication, or credit obtained from a manuscript, the benefit or credit derived from that publication shall be placed in abeyance for a period determined by the editorial board. The article shall be subject to correction, expression of concern, or formal retraction as appropriate.

Self-Plagiarism and Text Recycling

Submitting substantial portions of one's own previously published work as new material, without clear disclosure and citation of the original source, is treated as a form of plagiarism under this policy and is subject to the same consequences outlined above. Authors incorporating material from their prior conference papers, theses, dissertations or journal articles must cite the earlier work and, where required, obtain permission from the original publisher.

Use of Generative AI Tools

The UGC Regulations, 2018 do not explicitly address AI-generated content. However, AIRJ, in line with emerging global and Indian academic norms, requires authors to disclose any use of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or similar systems) in the preparation of their manuscript. Undisclosed use of AI-generated text is treated as a breach of academic integrity equivalent to plagiarism. Authors must include a brief statement in the methodology or acknowledgements section describing which AI tools were used, for what purpose, and how the output was verified. AI tools cannot be listed as authors, and authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality and integrity of the submitted work.

Detection, Reporting and Handling of Plagiarism

If any member of the academic community, reviewer or reader suspects, with appropriate proof, that a case of plagiarism has occurred in any manuscript submitted to or published in AIRJ, the matter shall be reported in writing to the editorial board. Upon receipt, the editorial board shall investigate the matter following the principles of natural justice, offer the author a fair opportunity to respond, and take a reasoned decision. The editorial board may also take suo motu notice of suspected plagiarism and initiate proceedings under this policy.

Editorial Integrity Committee

Mirroring the two-tier panel structure prescribed by UGC Regulations, 2018, AIRJ constitutes an Editorial Integrity Committee to consider plagiarism cases. The Committee shall include the Editor-in-Chief or a senior nominee as Chair, at least one senior academician from outside the editorial board, and one member well-versed with anti-plagiarism tools. Any member with a conflict of interest in a particular case shall recuse himself or herself from the proceedings relating to that case.

Timelines

In line with the 45-day timeline prescribed under UGC Regulations, 2018 for institutional integrity panels, the AIRJ Editorial Integrity Committee shall endeavour to complete its inquiry and communicate its decision within 45 days from the date of receipt of complaint or initiation of proceedings.

Post-Publication Detection and Retraction

If plagiarism is identified after a manuscript has already been published, AIRJ will investigate the matter with the corresponding author. Where confirmed, AIRJ will issue a formal retraction, correction or expression of concern notice, which will be permanently linked to the original article record. The retraction notice shall clearly identify the nature of the misconduct and shall remain in the public record.

Appeals Process

Authors who believe their work has been wrongly accused of plagiarism may appeal the decision by submitting a detailed written explanation, along with supporting evidence, to the editorial board within 30 days of receiving the decision. The Editorial Integrity Committee shall review the appeal, following the principles of natural justice, and communicate a final decision to the author. All penalties are applied only after academic misconduct has been established without doubt, all avenues of appeal have been exhausted, and the author has been provided a fair and transparent opportunity to defend the work, in keeping with Regulation 12 of the UGC Regulations, 2018.

Institutional Cooperation

In cases involving authors affiliated with Higher Educational Institutions in India, AIRJ shall, where appropriate, forward its findings to the author's institutional Academic Integrity Panel (IAIP) for consideration under Regulation 11 of the UGC Regulations, 2018, so that any institution-level penalties prescribed by UGC may be applied by the competent authority.

How to Avoid Plagiarism

• Always provide proper citation for all sources used, including text, ideas, data, tables, figures and images.
• Use quotation marks for verbatim text from another source and cite the origin.
• Paraphrase or rephrase text from another source in your own words and provide proper citation.
• Cite your own prior published work when reusing any material, however small, to avoid self-plagiarism.
• Use a reference management tool (Mendeley, Zotero or EndNote) from the beginning of your research to track sources accurately.
• Run a plagiarism check on your manuscript using a recognised tool before submission.
• Disclose any use of generative AI tools transparently in the methodology or acknowledgements.
• Do not submit the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously.

Contact Information

For any questions or concerns regarding plagiarism or this policy, please contact the editorial board at contact@majallathussaada.com.

Revision of Policy

This plagiarism policy is subject to revision by the editorial board of AIRJ in line with any future amendments issued by the University Grants Commission or evolving best practices in academic publishing. Any changes will be communicated to authors and updated on the journal's website.