Publication Policy
The CUK Journal of Legal Studies, published under the aegis of the Department of Law, Central University of Karnataka, is dedicated to advancing legal scholarship. Its mission is to promote high-quality research and contributions from around the world, enhancing the body of legal literature and addressing knowledge gaps across various areas of law for scholars, academicians, legal professionals, and the general public.
The journal operates with an independent and impartial editorial policy, ensuring transparency and the disclosure of relevant information throughout the publication process (see the Transparency and Disclosure section for more details). To uphold publication standards, a thorough and rigorous review process is followed (refer to the Review Process section for additional information). The journal prioritizes original and unpublished research, adhering to strict rules and guidelines to maintain ethical publication practices (see the Publication Ethics section for details).
The journal retains copyright over all published manuscripts, while authors retain their moral rights (for more, consult the Copyright Policy section). However, the Editorial Board disclaims liability for any copyright infringement by authors, even for published manuscripts. In cases of copyright complaints with sufficient evidence, the Board commits to addressing the issue by either removing the content from the website or issuing a written statement in the case of printed publications (see the Disclaimer Subsection under Publication Ethics for more details).
Publication Ethics
Plagiarism and Originality
We acknowledge and follow the standard parameters for research work set out by the University Grants Commission (India) to maintain academic integrity and quality of Higher Education in India. We, therefore, call for submissions of original research works and articles under various categories and ensure plagiarism checks at all possible levels during the peer review process. We strictly follow the prescribed limits of similarity index and other qualities required for publishing quality research work under UGC guidelines as provided by (Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations 2018. For full details click here.
Unpublished work
We also aim at publishing works that were never published previously by the same author or are not self-plagiarized. Self-plagiarism is also prohibited by UGC to maintain high standards of research work for promoting India’s academic achievements compared to other nations of the world. According to UGC “reproduction of one’s own previously published work without adequate citation and proper acknowledgment and claiming the most recent work as new and original for any academic advantage amounts to ‘text recycling (also known as ‘Self-plagiarism’ and is not acceptable”. To know more about self-plagiarism please read the UGC notice on self-plagiarism by clicking here.
Academic Integrity and Research Ethics
To maintain a global standard of research, we acknowledge several internationally accepted guidelines in addition to UGC guidelines. Following such guidelines are necessary to promote the best research works and to maintain academic integrity. We expect all our authors and associated members to follow such guidelines to maintain the quality of this journal as per the global standards. The principal guidelines can be accessed from:
- Guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
- San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA)
- The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity, 2017
- Scientific Values: Ethical Guidelines and Procedures, 2018 by Indian Academy of Science
- And all other such guidelines
Disclaimer
Besides making all our best efforts, if any article infringes anyone’s copyright, or is found self-plagiarized after the publication of such articles, or if it violates any of the above guidelines leading to malicious or unethical practices against academic integrity, the publisher shall not be responsible. However, the author(s) may be held liable for such indecent activities, and the publisher, on receipt of allegations of any such nature of activities being committed by any author(s) shall remove such articles immediately from the journal as well as from the database of the website.
Open Access
Open access means this journal is freely available to readers worldwide, except where access is restricted due to a country’s legal requirements or technical limitations. The CUK Journal of Legal Studies is committed to sharing knowledge globally without any form of discrimination among readers. By adopting an open-access policy, the journal ensures that all published content is accessible to everyone at no cost.
Additionally, the journal welcomes contributions from anyone, provided they meet its quality and standard requirements and adhere to the principles of academic integrity. All published contributions will be permanently archived on the journal’s website, ensuring they remain accessible for the entire duration of the Publisher’s existence.
Disclosure and Transparency
The CUK Journal of Legal Studies is dedicated to publishing high-quality research and strives to eliminate human biases in its processes. To uphold these standards, the journal adheres to established rules of conduct and ethical guidelines set by recognized laws and policies.
To prevent subjective biases from the Board of Editors, other members of the organization, or external influences due to personal or professional relationships with authors, the journal employs a blind peer-review system. During the technical review stage, the names and designations of authors are removed, and submissions are assigned unique paper codes. Additionally, members of the technical review committee are rotated with other committees after each volume is published to minimize any potential conflicts or biases.
To ensure rigorous and impartial evaluation, the journal follows a detailed review process, which is explained in the Review Process section for further reference. Throughout the review and publication stages, authors are kept informed about the status of their submissions.
Benefits to the Authors
The authors of the CUK Journal of Legal Studies shall be provided with the following benefits:
- Access to the soft copy of the journal;
- Free DOI (Digital Object Identifier);
- Free indexing in all search engines where the journal is or will be indexed;
- Free indexing in all the databases where the journal is or will be indexed;
- Access to the journal site to view the HTML version of the publication;
- Free promotion of the published manuscripts on all social media platforms of the organization;
- Feedback for all possible amendments of the papers for maintaining the required standard and quality of the journal.