17.1 Purpose
Public confidence in scholarly communication depends upon the objective evaluation of research and the transparent identification and appropriate management of actual, potential, and perceived conflicts of interest. A conflict of interest does not necessarily imply bias, misconduct, or improper conduct. Rather, timely disclosure enables informed editorial decision-making, protects the credibility of all participants, and preserves the integrity of the scholarly record.
This policy applies to authors, editors, reviewers, translators, Editorial Board members, publishing staff, institutional partners, and all others involved in the publication process. It should be read together with the Publication Ethics Policy, Editorial and Peer Review Policy, Research Integrity Policy, and other relevant publisher policies.
17.2 Scope
This policy applies throughout the publication lifecycle, including:
- submission of book proposals and manuscripts;
- editorial assessment;
- peer review;
- production and publication;
- post-publication corrections and revisions;
- editorial appointments; and
- institutional and publishing partnerships.
17.3 Definition of a Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest exists where personal, financial, professional, institutional, ideological, or other relationships could reasonably be expected to influence—or appear to influence—an individual’s objectivity, independence, or professional judgement.
Conflicts may be:
- actual;
- potential; or
- perceived.
All three categories should be disclosed where relevant, as transparency is essential to maintaining public trust in scholarly publishing.
17.4 Financial Interests
Financial conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to:
- research funding;
- employment;
- consultancy or advisory roles;
- honoraria;
- equity ownership or shareholding;
- patents and intellectual property interests;
- licensing income;
- commercial sponsorship; and
- any other financial relationship that could reasonably be perceived to influence scholarly judgement.
Relevant financial interests should be disclosed before publication.
17.5 Non-Financial Interests
Non-financial conflicts of interest may arise from:
- personal or family relationships;
- close academic collaboration;
- supervisory or mentoring relationships;
- institutional affiliation;
- professional rivalry;
- political, ideological, or religious commitments directly related to the subject matter;
- editorial roles in competing publications; or
- leadership positions in organisations connected with the research.
Disclosure promotes transparency and should not be interpreted as evidence of impropriety.
17.6 Responsibilities of Authors
Authors are expected to disclose all actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest at the time of submission and to update those disclosures whenever relevant circumstances change before publication.
Disclosures may relate to:
- research funding;
- institutional support;
- consultancy arrangements;
- commercial partnerships;
- intellectual property interests;
- pending patents;
- personal relationships; or
- any other circumstance reasonably capable of influencing the publication.
Where no relevant conflicts exist, authors are encouraged to state:
The author(s) declare that there are no conflicts of interest relevant to this publication.
17.7 Responsibilities of Editors
Editors are expected to conduct editorial evaluation independently, fairly, and objectively.
Editors shall withdraw from editorial responsibility where a conflict of interest exists, including situations involving:
- close collaborators;
- colleagues from the same department or institution;
- former supervisors or students;
- family members;
- significant personal relationships;
- financial interests connected with the publication; or
- any other circumstance that could reasonably compromise impartiality.
Where appropriate, editorial responsibility shall be transferred to another qualified editor.
17.8 Responsibilities of Reviewers
Reviewers should accept assignments only where they are able to provide an independent, objective, and confidential assessment.
Reviewers should decline invitations where conflicts arise from:
- recent collaboration;
- institutional relationships;
- financial interests;
- personal relationships;
- direct academic competition; or
- any circumstance likely to compromise impartiality.
Where a conflict becomes apparent after accepting a review invitation, the reviewer should notify the editor immediately and withdraw where appropriate.
17.9 Responsibilities of the Publisher
Rupkatha Books safeguards complete editorial independence throughout the publishing process.
Editorial decisions shall never be influenced by:
- publication charges;
- commercial interests;
- sponsorship;
- institutional partnerships;
- political or ideological considerations;
- personal relationships; or
- financial considerations unrelated to scholarly merit.
Editorial, financial, and administrative functions are maintained as separate and independent processes.
17.10 Institutional Partnerships
Collaborative relationships with universities, libraries, research institutions, scholarly societies, funding organisations, or commercial partners shall not compromise editorial independence or influence publication decisions.
All institutional partnerships are governed by the principles of transparency, academic freedom, and editorial autonomy.
17.11 Conflict of Interest Statements
Where appropriate, published works shall include a Conflict of Interest Statement describing relevant competing interests or confirming that none exist.
Such statements may identify:
- funding sources;
- institutional support;
- commercial relationships;
- intellectual property interests; and
- other relevant competing interests.
Disclosure enables readers to evaluate publications within their appropriate scholarly context.
17.12 Management of Conflicts
Where conflicts are identified, Rupkatha Books may implement measures proportionate to the nature and significance of the conflict, including:
- requesting additional disclosure;
- appointing an alternative editor or reviewer;
- obtaining independent expert advice;
- publishing disclosure statements;
- increasing editorial oversight; or
- implementing other safeguards necessary to preserve impartiality.
The objective is to manage conflicts transparently rather than to prohibit legitimate scholarly collaboration.
17.13 Undisclosed Conflicts
Failure to disclose a significant conflict of interest may constitute a breach of publication ethics.
Where undisclosed conflicts are identified, Rupkatha Books may:
- request clarification;
- publish a correction or updated disclosure;
- issue an editorial notice;
- investigate the matter under the Publication Ethics Policy; or
- retract a publication where the integrity of the scholarly record has been materially compromised.
17.14 Funding Transparency
Authors are expected to disclose all sources of financial support associated with the research or publication.
Funding statements should identify, where applicable:
- funding organisations;
- grant numbers;
- sponsoring institutions;
- collaborative research programmes; and
- the role of the funder in the research, writing, or publication process.
Transparent funding information strengthens confidence in the independence and credibility of scholarly work.
17.15 Editorial Independence
Editorial decisions are based exclusively on:
- scholarly quality;
- originality;
- methodological rigour;
- ethical integrity; and
- relevance to the editorial mission of Rupkatha Books.
Publication charges, institutional affiliation, commercial sponsorship, political considerations, funding status, or personal relationships shall not influence editorial judgement.
The Editorial Board retains full and independent authority over the acceptance, revision, or rejection of all submissions.
17.16 Transparency in the Scholarly Record
As a born-digital publisher, Rupkatha Books promotes transparency through comprehensive metadata, disclosure statements, funding information, correction notices, and version histories.
Where conflicts of interest are disclosed or corrected after publication, associated metadata and publication records may be updated to ensure that readers, repositories, indexing services, and other scholarly infrastructures have access to the most accurate and current information.
