9.1 Purpose
Plagiarism, in any form, undermines scholarly trust, infringes intellectual property rights, and compromises the integrity of the scholarly record. Accordingly, Rupkatha Books maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards plagiarism while ensuring that all allegations are investigated fairly, transparently, and in accordance with the principles of due process.
This policy should be read together with the Publication Ethics Policy, Research Integrity Policy, Copyright and Licensing Policy, and Authorship Policy.
9.2 Definition of Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the presentation of another person’s words, ideas, data, images, creative work, or intellectual contribution as one’s own without appropriate acknowledgement.
Plagiarism may occur regardless of whether the source is published, unpublished, printed, digital, audiovisual, or generated through digital technologies.
Proper citation, attribution, quotation, and acknowledgement are essential components of responsible scholarly practice.
9.3 Forms of Plagiarism
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:
- verbatim copying without quotation or attribution;
- close paraphrasing without acknowledgement;
- appropriation of ideas, arguments, theories, or interpretations;
- unattributed translation of another person’s work;
- plagiarism of figures, tables, images, datasets, or multimedia;
- source-based plagiarism through inadequate citation;
- mosaic or patchwork plagiarism;
- submission of purchased or commissioned work;
- contract cheating;
- plagiarism involving AI-generated material presented as original scholarship; and
- any other deliberate or negligent misrepresentation of authorship.
9.4 Self-Plagiarism and Redundant Publication
Authors should avoid presenting previously published work as new scholarship without appropriate disclosure.
This includes:
- duplicate publication;
- substantial overlap with previously published works;
- recycled text without acknowledgement;
- fragmented publication (“salami publication”); and
- republication without appropriate citation or permission.
Legitimate revised editions, translations, expanded works, or publications derived from theses or conference papers may be acceptable where fully disclosed and appropriately documented.
9.5 Responsibilities of Authors
Authors are responsible for ensuring that:
- all submissions are original;
- all sources are accurately cited;
- quotations are clearly identified;
- permissions are obtained where required;
- reused material is appropriately acknowledged;
- AI-assisted content complies with the Generative AI Policy; and
- the manuscript does not infringe copyright or intellectual property rights.
Submission of a manuscript constitutes a declaration that the work complies with this policy.
9.6 Similarity Assessment
Rupkatha Books may use recognised plagiarism detection software together with editorial assessment to evaluate originality.
Similarity reports are considered as advisory tools rather than definitive evidence of misconduct. Editorial judgement remains essential in distinguishing legitimate scholarly practice, such as properly cited quotations or commonly used terminology, from unacceptable textual overlap.
A high similarity score does not necessarily indicate plagiarism, and a low similarity score does not automatically establish originality.
9.7 Investigation Procedures
Allegations or evidence of plagiarism shall be investigated confidentially, impartially, and in accordance with internationally recognised publication ethics procedures.
Depending on the stage of publication, the publisher may:
- request clarification from the author;
- seek revision or correction;
- require additional attribution;
- obtain expert advice;
- suspend editorial consideration;
- reject the manuscript; or
- initiate post-publication corrective action.
Authors shall be given a reasonable opportunity to respond before any final decision is made.
9.8 Post-Publication Plagiarism
Where plagiarism is identified after publication, Rupkatha Books may take appropriate corrective action, including:
- publication of corrections;
- replacement of affected content;
- publication of an expression of concern;
- withdrawal of the publication;
- formal retraction; or
- notification of relevant institutions or copyright holders where appropriate.
The primary objective of post-publication action is to preserve the integrity and reliability of the scholarly record.
9.9 Artificial Intelligence and Originality
The use of Artificial Intelligence does not diminish an author’s responsibility for originality. Authors remain fully responsible for ensuring that AI-assisted writing, translation, summarisation, image generation, or other digital outputs:
- do not reproduce copyrighted material without permission;
- are appropriately disclosed where required;
- are critically verified by human authors; and
- satisfy the standards of originality expected in scholarly publishing.
AI systems cannot be recognised as authors or assume responsibility for published work.
9.10 Education and Prevention
Rupkatha Books encourages authors, editors, reviewers, and researchers to adopt responsible citation practices and to develop a thorough understanding of academic integrity.
The publisher regards education, transparency, and responsible editorial guidance as essential components of preventing plagiarism and strengthening scholarly culture.
