Editorial Policy

Last Updated: June 30, 2025

 

This Editorial Policy outlines the principles, legal responsibilities, and procedural standards that govern the editorial operations of Sramana Publications. It applies to all stakeholders involved in the evaluation, editing, and production of content — including authors, editors, reviewers, and internal teams.

 

Our policy ensures editorial integrity, transparency, and compliance with global legal frameworks, including but not limited to:

 

• The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works

• The Copyright Act (India & other applicable jurisdictions)

• GDPR (EU), CCPA (California), and similar data protection laws

• The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, India (2023)

 

 

 

 

1. Editorial Independence

Sramana Publications maintains complete editorial autonomy. Decisions regarding acquisition, acceptance, editing, or rejection of manuscripts are made without influence from political, commercial, religious, or institutional interests.

 

• Editorial teams operate independently from marketing, finance, or sales departments.

• Authors may not pay to influence editorial outcomes under any form, including indirect compensation or contractual leverage.

• Content will not be altered, omitted, or promoted in a manner that compromises truthfulness, authorship, or journalistic ethics.

 

 

 

 

2. Editorial Responsibilities

Our editorial team adheres to the following professional and legal obligations:

 

• Ensure accuracy, coherence, and clarity of all published material.

• Uphold confidentiality of unpublished submissions.

• Maintain impartiality in content evaluation, free from discrimination based on race, gender, religion, nationality, or political beliefs.

• Flag and investigate any instance of plagiarism, fabrication, or copyright infringement.

• Respect the legal and moral rights of authors, including attribution, integrity, and consent for edits.

 

 

 

 

3. Submission Evaluation Process

All manuscripts submitted undergo a rigorous, multi-layered evaluation process involving:

 

• Preliminary screening (compliance with submission guidelines)

• Originality and plagiarism checks

• Content suitability and market alignment

• Language and structure assessment

• Review by the assigned editorial domain expert

 

 

We do not guarantee acceptance, even after positive reviews. Editorial decisions are final and binding.

 

 

 

4. Revisions and Editorial Control

Upon acceptance, submitted work may be subjected to developmental, structural, copyediting, or proofreading processes.

 

• Authors will be informed of substantial changes before implementation.

• Minor corrections for grammar, clarity, or house style may be made without explicit consent.

• Editors have the right to reject submissions at any stage if content is found to be legally or ethically non-compliant.

 

 

Any edits performed are in alignment with the publishing agreement signed between the author and Sramana Publications.

 

 

 

5. Conflict of Interest

All editorial staff must disclose:

 

• Personal or financial relationships with any submitting author

• Involvement in competing publications

• Prior collaboration or mentorship that could affect impartiality

 

 

Conflicts will result in reassignment or recusal of the concerned editor from the process.

 

 

 

6. Authorship and Contributor Integrity

We recognize only individuals who have made substantive intellectual contributions to the work as authors. Editorial requirements:

 

• Ghostwriting or uncredited collaboration must be disclosed at submission.

• False, honorary, or gift authorship is strictly prohibited.

• If disputes arise regarding authorship post-submission, the manuscript will be placed on hold until all parties provide written resolution.

 

 

 

 

7. Handling of Ethical and Legal Violations

In case of suspected violations (e.g. plagiarism, offensive content, falsified claims, illegal material), the manuscript will be:

 

1. Flagged internally for review.

2. Evaluated for potential legal breach.

3. Rejected or escalated to legal counsel as needed.

 

 

If violations are discovered after publication, corrective actions include:

 

• Public erratum or correction notice

• Full retraction

• Legal proceedings (if applicable)

 

 

 

 

8. Corrections, Retractions, and Updates

Sramana Publications reserves the right to issue:

 

• Corrections for minor factual or typographical errors

• Retractions for serious errors, plagiarism, or data falsification

• Clarifications for ambiguous or misinterpreted content

 

 

All such updates will be time-stamped and transparently published on our platforms.

 

 

 

9. Data Handling and Privacy in Editorial Process

All author data, manuscript content, and personal communications are stored and processed:

 

• In compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and India’s DPDP Act

• Only for the purposes of editorial, legal, and publishing processes

• On secure servers with limited internal access

 

 

Submissions will not be shared with third parties without explicit author consent, unless required by law.

 

 

 

10. AI-Assisted Editing and Transparency

We may use AI-based editorial tools (e.g. grammar, clarity, and style refinement). However:

 

• Human editors always retain final decision-making authority.

• No generative AI is used to create or alter content without disclosing to the author.

• AI-assisted editing is limited to language and technical enhancements, not content rewriting.

 

 

 

 

11. Appeals and Grievances

Authors may appeal editorial decisions within 7 business days of notification, with clear grounds for reconsideration. Appeals will be:

 

• Reviewed by a senior, uninvolved editorial member

• Decided upon within 15 business days

• Final and binding unless legal breach is involved

 

 

 

 

12. Policy Updates

This policy is reviewed and updated annually, or sooner if required by legal, regulatory, or organizational changes. Authors are advised to refer to the latest version before submitting their work.

 

 

 

Contact

All editorial inquiries, appeals, or complaints must be directed to:

writetoshweta23@gmail.com