Publication Ethics

Bhakta Journal of Public Health is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all possible measures against publication malpractice. This statement is based on best practices in scholarly publishing and ethical guidelines for journal editors, reviewers, and authors.

Ethical Guidelines for Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to Bhakta Journal of Public Health must ensure that:

• The manuscript is an original work and has not been published previously.
• The manuscript is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
• All sources of data and information are properly cited.
• Plagiarism in any form is strictly prohibited.
• All listed authors have made significant contributions to the research.
• Any conflicts of interest are clearly disclosed.
• Research involving human subjects has obtained ethical approval where applicable.
• Data fabrication, falsification, and manipulation are unacceptable.

Authors are responsible for the accuracy of the data and statements presented in their manuscripts.

Ethical Guidelines for Editors

Editors of Bhakta Journal of Public Health are responsible for:

• Making publication decisions based on the manuscript's scientific merit.
• Evaluating manuscripts without discrimination based on race, gender, religion, or institutional affiliation.
• Maintaining confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.
• Avoiding conflicts of interest in handling manuscripts.
• Ensuring a fair and unbiased peer-review process.
• Taking appropriate action in cases of suspected ethical violations.

Ethical Guidelines for Reviewers

Reviewers are expected to:

• Provide objective, constructive, and timely reviews.
• Maintain confidentiality of manuscripts under review.
• Avoid reviewing manuscripts with conflicts of interest.
• Identify relevant published work that has not been cited.
• Report any suspected plagiarism or ethical misconduct.
• Evaluate manuscripts based on academic merit only.

Publication Misconduct

Bhakta Journal of Public Health considers the following as unethical behavior:

• Plagiarism
• Duplicate publication
• Data fabrication or falsification
• Improper authorship credit
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest
• Citation manipulation

If misconduct is detected, the journal will take appropriate action, including:

• Rejection of the manuscript
• Retraction of published article
• Notification to authors' institutions
• Temporary or permanent submission ban

Conflict of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence the work. All conflicts of interest must be clearly stated in the manuscript.

Plagiarism Policy

All manuscripts submitted to Bhakta Journal of Public Health will be screened using plagiarism detection software. Manuscripts with high similarity index may be rejected immediately.

Retraction and Correction Policy

The journal will publish corrections, clarifications, retractions, and apologies when necessary to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

Ethical Oversight

Research involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data must include a statement of ethical approval from the appropriate ethics committee.