Refund Policy

Last updated: 23-06-2025

1. Policy Scope and Purpose

This Refund Policy governs all monetary transactions initiated in connection with editorial processing, article publication, or associated services offered by the Journal. It applies to authors, institutions, funding agencies, and other stakeholders engaged in the submission or publication process.

This policy ensures procedural transparency and financial accountability in compliance with international standards for academic publishing, including COPE best practices and applicable jurisdictional regulations.

2. Non-Refundable Charges

The following charges are strictly non-refundable, under all circumstances:

• Article Processing Charges (APC): Once an article has passed initial editorial screening and entered peer review or production stages, APCs are deemed earned and are non-refundable.
• Submission or Handling Fees: If applicable, these fees cover administrative review, plagiarism screening, and preliminary evaluation. They are non-refundable regardless of acceptance outcome.
• Expedited Review or Technical Services: Any fee-based service rendered on request (e.g., language editing, layout formatting) is non-refundable once initiated.

3. Refund Eligibility

Refunds may be considered only under the following narrowly defined and verifiable conditions:

• Duplicate Payment: If an author or institution is charged more than once for the same service, the excess amount will be refunded upon written request and verification.
• Technical Errors in Transaction: In cases of payment gateway malfunction or processing failure, a refund may be initiated after confirmation by the payment service provider.
• Cancellation Prior to Editorial Processing: If a withdrawal request is received before the manuscript enters peer review and no editorial activity has occurred, a partial refund may be approved at the discretion of the Editorial Office.

Refunds are not applicable if the manuscript has been assigned to reviewers, entered typesetting, or undergone any production-related processing.

4. Procedure for Requesting a Refund

All refund requests must be submitted in writing to the official journal contact email within 14 calendar days of the transaction date. The request must include:

• Proof of payment (transaction ID, invoice, or receipt)
• Manuscript ID or submission reference
• Reason for refund with supporting documentation, if applicable

Incomplete or unverifiable requests will not be processed. The journal will issue a formal response within 15 business days of receipt.

5. Decision Authority and Finality

All refund decisions are reviewed by the Financial Compliance Office in coordination with the Editorial Board. Decisions are final and not subject to appeal. The Journal reserves the right to amend or deny refund requests that contradict its ethical, financial, or legal obligations.

6. Compliance and Jurisdiction

This policy aligns with prevailing academic publishing ethics (COPE, ICMJE), copyright law, and applicable financial regulations. All disputes arising under this policy shall be governed by the legal jurisdiction in which the Journal’s publishing entity is registered.

7. Contact

For all inquiries related to this policy, please contact:
harshavardhanjw@gmail.com
Subject Line: Refund Request – [Manuscript ID]

Note: By initiating any financial transaction with the Journal, authors and affiliated institutions acknowledge and accept the terms outlined in this Refund Policy.