Preamble

Continuous upgradation of knowledge through research is the highlight of any center of higher education. Research forms the basis of continuum in the creation of the wealth of knowledge and is the basis of all disciplines. It directly contributes to social well-being, health, culture, economic development and the advancement of individual, society at large and nation as whole. Research thrives in the ambiance where freedom of inquiry and the right to disseminate the results thereof coexist. A research bent of mind will always challenge the conventional and question what exists and why. However, with academic freedom comes the responsibility to ensure that all research: is governed by the principles of honesty, integrity, trust, accountability and collegiality; meets high scientific and ethical standards; is conducted with honest and thoughtful inquiry, rigorous analysis, and accountability for the use of professional standards; and seeks to increase knowledge in ways that do not harm but benefit society. 

Swami Vivekanand Subharti University has always been a proponent of the research culture and the research is advanced by the ongoing education of its members in matters of research integrity, and by adopting and following appropriate policies within which research should be conducted. 

Research Directives

So as to appropriately address the research policy we need to define its various aspects.

“University Research Council” is the supreme body of University that will oversee all the research being carried out in the University and will facilitate the researchers in all possible manners for promoting the research culture.  

“Agency” means the body which is sponsoring the research which can be an organization, government or private, national or international, supporting the research in whole or in part. 

“Guide/Co-Guide” means the in charge of a particular researcher under whom the research is being conducted. 

“Corresponding Author” means the person primarily responsible for any submission for publication 

“Data” means the recorded information in both physical and electronic forms which is acceptable universally without any ambiguity. 

“Legal Person” includes corporations, partnerships, associations, foundations, organizations, government agencies, and any other entity or body. 

“Plagiarism” refers to the depiction of any published or unpublished work without the due recognition to the actual author and claiming to be one’s own work 

“Principal Investigator” is the person who has key accountability to devise, conduct and supervise the research. 

“Policies” mean the regulations and guidelines of the University/Standard universally acceptable documents concerning the conduct of Research and related matters as they may exist from time to time. 

“Research” is the creation of new knowledge and/or the use of existing knowledge in a new and creative way so as to generate new concepts, methodologies and understandings. This could include synthesis and analysis of previous knowledge to the extent that it leads to new and creative outcomes 

“Research Misconduct” includes fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, misappropriation of intellectual property rights of another, or any other conduct that constitutes a significant departure from the ethical standards 

Basic Obligations of the Researcher for the Research 

The primary responsibility for the selection and conduct of Research shall rest with the Researcher and he or she shall: 

1. uphold the highest standards of honesty, veracity and principled behavior while conducting any research; 

2. familiarize himself or herself with and abide by the rules and regulations which will be periodically updated by the University Research Council 

3. not feign his or her scholastic, professional credentials or work experience; 

4. obtain necessary approvals and follow standard operating procedures, before engaging in any kind of research activity. . 

The University shall be conducting periodic review of all the research related activities and will oversee that the information is disseminated to all the researchers through proper documentation.   

The concerned institutes wherever the research activities are being carried out shall ensure that the students who engage in research are aware of their obligations in respect of academic integrity and the ethical standards of Research 

A guide/co guide of students engaged in Research shall be responsible for providing the students with all research related documents which the students have been asked to sign and disclose to them concerning publication, use of data, and ownership of intellectual property that may directly or indirectly influence a student’s decision to participate in the research. 

Regulation on the Conduct of External Research 

A Researcher engaged in external research which is not part of her or his academic/professional duties in the University shall 

1. disclose all the research elements involved and should not interfere by any means in the standard academic/professional duties of a researcher that he/she has towards the University

2. not make use of University personnel, students, services, facilities, equipment or supplies in such Research. However if the researcher wants to make use of such facilities and can justify their use, he/she may : 

1. obtain written permission from the University Research Council 

2. make appropriate compensation by means of financial arrangements to reimburse the University. 

Research Data 

A Researcher shall be responsible for collecting all records concerning human and animal subjects in accordance with the international laws. A Researcher shall respect the laws governing access to personal information and privacy in his or her collection and use of Data. A Researcher shall not use or publish Data which he or she knows to be, or has reasonable grounds to believe are, false or of unknown provenance unless it is so identified. 

All data generated should be verifiable by third parties and confirm to international norms and practices. A Researcher shall retain Data either for the period specified by the funding agency supporting the Research; or a period of seven (7) years from publication of the Data. 

Data shall be retained by a Principal Investigator or the department or institute and should be made readily available for verification. 

Collaborative Data 

Research collaborators, at the commencement of their collaboration, shall make all reasonable efforts to reach agreement, preferably in writing, on their rights to, and future use of, Data. In the absence of an agreement between Research collaborators, the decision of the University Research Council will be final and binding upon on and all.  

Disputes Resolution In Collaborative Research 

The disputants can resolve the disputes however if they are unable to do so, they have various platforms for resolution of disputes

Level I – Mutual resolution between disputants amicably

Level II- Head of the Concerned Institute

Level III- University Research Council

Level IV – Vice Chancellor of the University. 

The University shall assist in facilitating the resolution of disputes between Research collaborators and the decision of the University Research Council will be final and binding upon one and all. 

Research Funds 

It is the duty of a researcher to ensure that all research funds, intramural/extramural are used with honesty, integrity and accountability. A Researcher shall acknowledge, in all published works resulting from his or her Research, all Agencies and other public and private funding sources which supported his or her Research. 

Research Involving Human Subjects 

A Researcher conducting Research involving human subjects shall: 

1. conduct such Research in accordance with the Universal guidelines and ethical standards; 

2. respect the legal and moral rights of the research participants 

A Researcher can only use the premises or facilities of the University for human based trials and experiments after due approval from the University Ethical Committee. The researcher shall inform the participants about health risks, ill effects or benefits of participating in human trials.     A Researcher shall not accept any personal/financial benefit for: 

1. recruiting human subjects; 

2. a particular number of human subjects successfully completing the study or trial or for successfully completing it within a specific timeframe; 

Research Involving Animals 

A Researcher conducting Research involving animals shall: 

1. conduct such Research in accordance with the Universally acceptable ethical standards; and 

2. comply with the policies and guidelines of the animal care. 

Ghost Research 

A Researcher shall not enter into any arrangement with any agency to conduct any Research under the auspices of the University, or on University premises or using Students, academic, administrative or support staff, or University resources or facilities on the understanding that the conduct of the Research is to be kept secret. 

Perilous Research 

A Researcher proposing to engage in Research activities that pose a recognizable inherent risk of accidental injury to persons or property shall: 

1. obtain all necessary approvals required for hazardous materials, 

2. notify those who are at risk. 

If there is an inherent risk of physical injury to persons or property who has reasonable cause to believe that injury to person or property has occurred or is imminent shall: 

1. take appropriate measures to address the situation in accordance with the University’s emergency policies 

2. report the incident or potential threat 

Commercialization Of Research 

The University shall respect the decision of a Researcher not to commercialize his or her invention, software or other discovery before entering into an agreement with him/her. Negotiation Of Research Related Agreements 

All Research Related Agreements must be approved and executed according to the University Research Council relating to the conclusion of such agreements. 

Research Publication

A Researcher shall ensure that all the completed research projects are duly published within one year of the completion of the research projects without any misrepresentation of any kind. The delay in publication may be agreed to only in exceptional cases and shall require: 

1. the written consent of the Student; and 

2. the written approval of: 

1. the Researcher 

2. the chairman of the University Research Council 

A Researcher shall be responsible for following the accepted practice of his or her discipline relating to the publication of Research. The researcher should see to it that:  

1. the submission of manuscripts should not be done to more than one journal at a time and 

2. no duplicate publication of manuscript is done. 

A Researcher shall not manipulate the data or images in any way so as to favor an agency or any person with a vested interest in the findings of Research. 

A Researcher shall be responsible for seeing to it that he/she is being publicly acknowledged. A Researcher at all times shall acknowledge his or her affiliation with the University in all publications resulting from Research undertaken, however, if a researcher is no longer a member of the University, then he/she may stop acknowledging the University but still has to appropriately acknowledge the University if the publication is arising when he/she was part of the University. Ghost authorship in any form in any field is ethically unacceptable.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism by definition means “the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own”. It involves illegal use of phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs, or longer extracts from published or unpublished work including from internet without acknowledging the source for such an act. Some instances of plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and even some writing practices that might otherwise be acceptable can constitute copyright infringement. Researchers are strongly encouraged to become familiar with basic elements of copyright law. Researchers should strictly adhere to the spirit of ethical writing and avoid reusing their own previously published text. Authors should strive to obtain the actual published paper. When the published paper cannot be obtained, cite the specific version of the material being used, whether it is conference presentation, abstract, or an unpublished manuscript. Always consult the primary literature. The references used should only be those that are directly related to its contents.

1. Research work having more than 30 percent of the content from another individual’s material will be treated as amounting to plagiarism 

2. The researcher shall also submit an affidavit of plagiarism free and original research work. 

3. The researcher shall acknowledge the contributions of others and the source of their ideas.

4. Always acknowledge every source even when we are paraphrasing or condensing a material. 

5. The researcher shall always run the research material through the anti-plagiarism software meant to check duplication of content. 

6. If a researcher must rely on a secondary source to describe the contents of a primary source, s/he should consult writing manuals used in his or her discipline to follow the proper convention to do so. Always indicate the actual source of the information being reported.

7. Only those individuals who have made substantiated contributions to a project merit authorship and a mention. Faculty/Student must exercise great care to neither award authorship to them whose contributions do not merit it, nor to deny authorship and due credit to the work of students.

Authorship

A Researcher shall ensure that authorship of published work includes all those and only those who have made significant scholarly contributions to the work and who share responsibility and accountability for the results. A Researcher shall ensure that where a co-authored publication is based primarily on the work of a Student, including a dissertation or thesis the Student is granted due prominence in the list of co-authors in accordance with the established practices of the discipline. A person who provides only administrative and/or managerial services to a collaborative Research endeavour shall not qualify for co-authorship. 

Responsibilities Of Corresponding Author 

Prior to the submission of a manuscript for publication, the Corresponding Author shall: 

1. ensure to obtain the consent of the co-authors to the order of attribution of authorship; 

2. ensure that persons who have made useful contributions are appropriately acknowledged. 

3. provide each co-author an opportunity to comment on the manuscript prior to its submission for publication; and

4. provide each co-author with a copy of the manuscript submitted for publication.  

Ownership Of Intellectual Property 

Research collaborators shall reach an agreement, consistent with the International Intellectual Property Laws. If an external agency has an interest in the research, the Research collaborators, the University Research Council and the Principal Investigator shall establish by contract suggesting: 

1. possession of intellectual property rights 

2. the rights and obligations of the research collaborators/principal investigator/University to apply for and obtain copyrights/patents  

3. the prerogative of the involved parties to in any associated royalties. 

Conflict Of Interest 

A Researcher shall disclose to all stakeholders about (including other institutions, Agencies, conference organizers and participants, and journals and publishers) any conflict of interest that might influence decisions pertaining to research. 

Research Misconduct 

Any action that is inconsistent with integrity, honesty or is not confirming to this policy shall be deemed as a disciplinary offence and, where appropriate, shall be investigated in accordance with the University guidelines. However the researcher may not be held liable because of honest errors, differences of interpretation or judgment relating to Data, and results that are reasonable in light of the circumstances in which they are made or reached. 

Review Of Regulation 

This Regulation shall be reviewed periodically and amendments thereof will become part of this research policy.