Legal

Terms & Conditions

Last updated: 23 June 2026

1. Who you are contracting with

The Journal of Scientific Culture and Research ("JOSCR", "we", "us") is operated by Nikhil Bhardwaj ("the Publisher"). By accessing or using the website, submitting a manuscript, or paying an Article Processing Charge (APC), you agree to these Terms.

2. Acceptance

Your continued use of the website and services constitutes acceptance of these Terms. If you do not agree, you must not use the service.

3. Authority and accuracy

You confirm you are of legal age (or authorised to bind the organisation you represent) and that all information you provide — including author identity, affiliation, and manuscript content — is accurate and kept up to date.

4. Acceptable use

You must not misuse the service. In particular, you must not:

• use it for any unlawful purpose, fraud, or spam;
• infringe third-party intellectual-property rights;
• interfere with security, including probing, scanning, scraping, or distributing malware;
• submit fabricated, plagiarised, or AI-generated material misrepresented as your own;
• circumvent peer-review integrity (e.g. duplicate submission, citation manipulation).

5. Intellectual property

The website, its software, design, branding, and editorial materials are owned by the Publisher and protected by intellectual-property laws. Published articles remain the copyright of their authors and are released under a Creative Commons Attribution licence as part of our open-access model.

6. Service level

We aim to keep the service available and accurate but do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free operation. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we disclaim all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.

7. Payments, billing, refunds — Paddle as Merchant of Record

Our order process is conducted by our online reseller Paddle.com. Paddle.com is the Merchant of Record for all our orders. Paddle provides all customer service inquiries and handles returns. Payment, billing, tax, cancellation, and refund mechanics are governed by Paddle's Buyer Terms. See also our Refund Policy.

8. Article Processing Charge (APC)

Accepted manuscripts are subject to a one-time Article Processing Charge of ₹2,500. The APC is invoiced through Paddle after editorial acceptance. Fee waivers may be granted in cases of genuine financial hardship — contact the editorial office before payment.

9. Suspension and termination

We may suspend or terminate access for material breach of these Terms, non-payment, fraud or security risk, or repeated or serious violations of editorial policy.

10. Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Publisher's aggregate liability arising out of or in connection with the service is limited to fees paid by you in the twelve months preceding the claim. We exclude liability for indirect, consequential, or special damages, including loss of profits, data, or goodwill. Nothing in these Terms excludes liability for fraud, death, or personal injury where such exclusion is prohibited by law.

11. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify the Publisher against claims arising from content you submit, unlawful use of the service, or breach of these Terms.

12. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of India. The courts of India shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any disputes, subject to any mandatory consumer-protection rights in your jurisdiction.

13. Changes

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be reflected by updating the "Last updated" date above.

14. Contact

Questions about these Terms: refund@joscr.com.