Guidelines for Authors:

Submission Guidelines

• Authors are kindly requested to submit full-text papers in (.doc or .docx) format through the online submission system.
• Authors may submit their papers for regular issues of the journal year-round via the online submission system: https://submission.ijircst.org/
• If you encounter any issues with the submission link, please email your manuscript to: editor@ijircst.org or editor.ijircst@gmail.com
• IJIRCST paper template is available at https://ijircst.org/img/IJIRCST_Paper_Template.docx
• Authors should ensure that all references are properly cited in IEEE citation style. IJIRCST follows the IEEE citation style.
• Authors should provide a DOI or reliable Web URL for each reference, where available, to facilitate verification of the cited sources.
• Web references can be listed after the reference list

Post-Acceptance Process
Upon final acceptance of the paper (based on a peer review process), authors must submit the following:

• Final camera-ready paper
• Completed copyright form
• Applicable publication fee

Once these documents are received, the paper will be published online within 7 working days.

Important Policies

• Submissions must be original and not previously published (except as an abstract or thesis).
• All co-authors must approve the submission.
• If accepted, the affiliated institution must ensure the work is not republished in the same form.
• Once submitted, a manuscript should not be withdrawn during the review process except for a valid reason and with approval from the Editorial Office.

Submission & Review Guidelines

• Plagiarism Check
  • All manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection tools (iThenticate).
  • The similarity level should not exceed 15% (excluding references). Read the Plagiarism Policy
• AI Check
  • Manuscripts may be screened using appropriate AI-assisted or automated tools as part of the journal's research-integrity and editorial quality-control process.
  • Authors may use AI-assisted tools for limited purposes such as language correction, proofreading, editing, and formatting, in accordance with the journal's AI Policy.
  • Any substantive use of generative AI beyond these purposes must be disclosed at the time of manuscript submission.
  • Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and validity of their manuscripts.
  • AI tools cannot be listed or credited as authors. Generative AI tools must not be cited as a source or reference. Read the AI Policy
• Quality Check
  • Submissions must be original, result-oriented, and cutting-edge within the journal’s scope
• Review Process
  • Double-blind peer review: Identities of authors and reviewers remain confidential.
  • Review panel: Two reviewers (1 from India, 1 from overseas) evaluate each manuscript.
  • Review timeline: Approximately 10-15 days from submission.
  • Decision: Based on detailed reviewer comments for correction/acceptance/rejection. Read the Review Process
  • Conference and Special Issue papers are subject to the journal's applicable editorial, originality, plagiarism, AI, and peer-review requirements before publication.
• Copyright Policy
  • Copyrights for articles are retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal/publisher. More about copyright
• Paper Formatting
  • Final submissions must follow the journal’s template. Kindly download the IJIRCST paper template: https://ijircst.org/img/IJIRCST_Paper_Template.docx
  • Authors should ensure that the manuscript is complete and error-free before final submission.
• Publication Fee
  • No submission, review, handling, or acceptance fee is charged. An Article Processing Charge (APC) is applicable only after editorial acceptance and before publication. Read the Article Processing Fee
• Processing Time
  • Publication is normally completed within 7 working days after receipt of the final required documents and applicable APC.

GUIDELINES FOR REVIEWERS:

Reviewer Selection & Responsibilities

• Reviewers are assigned by the handling editor and must:
  • Conduct a thorough evaluation of the manuscript’s intellectual content.
  • Verify originality, correctness, and scholarly contribution.
  • Recommend one of the following actions:
    • Accept as-is (if satisfied with content and presentation).
    • Minor/Major Revisions (with clear suggestions for improvement).

Review Report & Revisions

• Provide constructive feedback to enhance the manuscript’s quality.
• The revised manuscript will be re-evaluated by the same reviewer(s).
• Authors may submit a rebuttal to reviewer comments.

Confidentiality & Ethical Guidelines

• Reviewers must not communicate directly with authors; all correspondence should go through the Editorial Office.
• Maintain strict confidentiality—do not share the manuscript or its contents with anyone except the concerned editor.
• Declare conflicts of interest and refrain from reviewing papers where such conflicts exist. Read the Ethical Malpractice Statement.

Withdrawal & Special Cases

• Reviewers may decline to review if:
  • They lack expertise in the subject.
  • They cannot meet the deadline.
• Immediate rejection is recommended if:
  • The paper is under review elsewhere (double submission).

GUIDELINES FOR EDITORS:

• Initial Screening & Reviewer Assignment
  • Conduct a preliminary assessment of submitted articles to determine suitability for peer review.
  • If deemed appropriate, assign suitable reviewers and seek their consent for evaluation.
• Decision-Making Process
  • Base final publication decisions on referee reports, ensuring fairness and objectivity.
  • Retain the right to disagree with referee opinions and seek additional reviews if necessary.
  • Consult the Editorial Board for expedited decisions when needed.
• Ethical & Confidentiality Obligations
  • Maintain strict confidentiality of manuscripts until publication.
  • Declare and avoid conflicts of interest in assigned manuscripts.
  • Exercise professional courtesy toward authors while upholding journal standards. Read the Ethical Malpractice Statement.
• Quality & Integrity Assurance
  • Ensure unbiased, transparent, and timely editorial decisions.
  • Encourage authors to enhance their work while maintaining the journal's quality benchmarks.
  • No compromises on the journal’s academic standards are permitted.