Terms & Conditions

Effective From: 01-January-2026

Agreement: These Terms and Conditions constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Shodhbook Publications concerning your access to and use of the website and all associated services, including manuscript submission, peer review and publication.

Acceptance of Terms. By accessing or using any part of the website or submitting a Manuscript to the Publisher, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agree to be bound by all of these Terms. If you do not agree with all of these Terms, you are expressly prohibited from using the website and must discontinue use immediately.

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User and Author Responsibilities

By using this website and its publication services, all Users and Authors agree to adhere strictly to these Terms and Conditions.

The Author warrants that the submitted Manuscript is original, unpublished and shall not infringe upon the intellectual property or proprietary rights of any third party. The Author holds an affirmative duty to furnish accurate and complete information throughout the submission and publication phases and shall bear sole responsibility for securing, in writing, all requisite permissions for any copyrighted materials incorporated into the Manuscript. A breach of these warranties constitutes a material breach of contract.

Copyright and Licensing Policy

By submitting a Manuscript, the Author(s) transfer all worldwide copyrights to Shodhbook Publications. This grants the Publisher the exclusive right to use, reproduce, adapt, publish, translate, edit, print and sell the Contribution in all media. The Author(s) shall not republish the Contribution elsewhere without the Publisher's prior written permission. Authors retain their Patent Rights and non-exclusive rights to use the work for academic and personal purposes, provided proper acknowledgment is given. This policy is governed by the laws of India, with jurisdiction seated in the courts of Rohini, Delhi.

Plagiarism and Ethical Integrity Policy

• Plagiarism, including the appropriation of others' work or self-plagiarism (reuse without citation), is strictly prohibited. Shodhbook Publications maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward all forms of research misconduct, including data fabrication.
• All manuscripts are rigorously screened using specialized detection software. Submissions exceeding a specified similarity index (e.g., 20%) face immediate scrutiny.
• Detected misconduct, at any stage, results in immediate rejection or retraction of the published work. Authors may be permanently blacklisted and the Publisher reserves the right to notify the Author's affiliated institution(s) and funding agencies.

Manuscript Withdrawal Policy

Manuscripts may be formally withdrawn by the Author(s) only prior to receiving an official acceptance notification from the Publisher. Withdrawal requests must be submitted in writing to the editorial office. Under no circumstances may a Manuscript be withdrawn once it has been formally accepted for publication, as this disrupts the commitment of reviewers and the production process. Any attempt to withdraw post-acceptance will constitute a breach of these Terms and may result in the Author being liable for processing or administrative fees incurred by the Publisher. The Publisher reserves the right to unilaterally withdraw a Manuscript found to be in violation of the Author Warranties or ethical standards.

Fees and Payments Policy

Publication services, including Processing Charges and printing costs, may be subject to fees, which shall be clearly communicated upon or prior to acceptance. Payment must be rendered fully as per the invoice; non-payment may result in the delay or cancellation of the publication process. Except in the case of demonstrable administrative error, all fees paid for publication services are strictly non-refundable once the payment has been processed or once editorial work commences. The Publisher reserves the right to revise publication fees at any time and the rejection of a Manuscript does not guarantee the refund of any initial handling fees.

Refund Policy

Refunds will be processed exclusively for demonstrable administrative errors or confirmed cases of excessively or wrongly deposited funds. Requests for such refunds must be submitted in writing. Approved refunds will be processed within 7 business days from the date of approval. The Publisher shall not be liable for any subsequent delays incurred by banking or intermediary processing institutions.

Distribution and Marketing

The Publisher maintains the sole and exclusive right to market, promote and distribute the published Contribution in all media due to the transfer of copyright stipulated in the Copyright Policy. Authors may independently promote their work; however, any subsequent commercial distribution or reproduction by the Author must adhere strictly to the licensing agreement stipulated in Copyright Policy.

Limitation of Liability

1. Service Provided “AS IS”: The website, publication services and all content are provided on an "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" basis without warranties of any kind.
2. Exclusion of Damages: In no event shall the Publisher, its affiliates, directors, officers, employees or agents be liable for any indirect, incidental, punitive or consequential damages (including, but not limited to, damages for loss of business, lost profits, lost revenue or data loss) arising out of the use or inability to use the services or the published content, even if the Publisher has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
3. Limitation Based on Content Risks
   The Publisher acts as a service provider facilitating the publication of scholarly content. The Author acknowledges and agrees that the Publisher's liability is further limited concerning the subjective and intellectual nature of the published work. The Author will retains sole responsibility for:
   • Factual Accuracy and Research Integrity: The Publisher is not responsible for the factual accuracy, completeness, validity or integrity of the research findings, methodologies, data or arguments presented in the final published work. The Author retains sole and exclusive responsibility for the content's integrity.
   • Social and Cultural Sensitivity: The Publisher shall not be held liable for any claims, actions or damages arising from the content's perceived social, cultural or ethical offense, inappropriateness or misinterpretation by any reader or entity.
   • Religious and Political Neutrality: The Publisher disclaims all liability for any content that may be construed as advocating a specific religious, political or ideological stance. The publication of a work does not constitute endorsement of the views expressed therein by the Publisher.
   • Impact on Public Sentiment: The Publisher assumes no liability for any adverse impact on public sentiment, reputation or controversy that may arise directly or indirectly from the publication or subsequent dissemination of the work.
4. Aggregate Liability Cap. Notwithstanding any other provision in these Terms, the Publisher's total aggregate liability to the Author or any third party under these Terms, whether in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise, shall be strictly limited to the fees paid by the claimant for the specific service from which the dispute arose.

Indemnification

The User and Author agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Publisher, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees and agents from and against any and all claims, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from or related to: (a) the User's or Author's breach of any warranty, term or provision of these Terms; or (b) any claim that the Manuscript or other content provided by the Author infringes upon the intellectual property or proprietary rights of any third party.

General Provisions

Termination: We reserve the right, in our sole discretion and without notice or liability, to deny access to and use of the website and services to any person for any reason, including without limitation for breach of any warranty or provision contained in these Terms.

Amendments and Updates: The Publisher reserves the right to modify or replace these Terms at any time. We will alert you of any changes by updating the "Effective Date" of these Terms. Your continued use of the website or services after such modifications shall constitute your acceptance of the revised Terms.