In response to the numerous inquiries regarding research paper presentations and requests for clarification on the applicable criteria, St. Joseph University has issued the following guidelines. These guidelines outline the mandatory requirements related to research paper presentation, publication, and plagiarism that all research scholars are expected to follow

Research Paper Publications

• Research scholars must publish a minimum of two research papers in refereed journals, preferably those indexed in UGC Care, Scopus, ABDC, SCI, or SSCI. The scholar and the supervisor must ensure that these journals are listed in the approved indices at the time of submission to the Scrutiny Committee, as index listings are dynamic and subject to change.
• It is the responsibility of both the research scholar and the supervisor to verify that the paper is published in an original and high-quality journal, ensuring that the selected journal is authentic and not a cloned or fake publication.
• Each research paper must include St. Joseph University affiliation for at least one of the authors (either the scholar or the supervisor). For full-time research scholars, both the scholar and the supervisor must carry St. Joseph University affiliation.
• If the scholar has a co-guide, the co-guide’s name must be included as one of the authors in the publication.
• During the Scrutiny process, the Committee will examine the originality, publication year, impact factor, ISSN, overall quality, and reach of each journal. Upon verifying these criteria, the scholar may be permitted to include the journal in the approved Journal Count.
• Research scholars are strongly encouraged to publish more than the minimum number of required papers. This ensures that, if the Scrutiny Committee rejects any publication, the scholar will still have a sufficient number of valid publications to meet the required Journal Count.

Research Paper Presentation

• For thesis submission, a minimum of two papers must be presented at national or international conferences, of which at least one must be at an international conference.
• All research scholars, including part-time scholars, must have St. Joseph University affiliation indicated on their presentation certificates.
• A presented paper will not be considered for thesis submission if it was presented within St. Joseph University or in an institution directly associated with the scholar, supervisor, or co-guide.
• Paper presentations made in groups of institutions or sister institutions affiliated with the scholar, supervisor, or co-guide will also not be accepted.
• All paper presentations must be supported by the souvenir or proceedings issued by the organizing institution; otherwise, they will not be counted for thesis submission.
• The two presentations and two publications submitted for thesis submission must have different titles, and a paper presented at one venue should not be published elsewhere, and vice versa.

Plagiarism

• The Ph.D. thesis must undergo a plagiarism check using URKUND software only, and the report should be submitted after the scrutiny process and strictly two days before the thesis submission.
• The plagiarism check is mandatory to ensure that the correct and updated report is submitted at the time of thesis submission. Every scholar must also submit an undertaking certifying that the thesis has been prepared by him/her, represents original work, and is free from plagiarism.
• Each supervisor must issue a Plagiarism Verification Certificate, certifying and validating the plagiarism check performed by the scholar or the department. This certificate must be forwarded by the Head of the Department and submitted to the Office of the Dean of Academics during thesis submission.
• A plagiarism similarity index of up to 15% shall be maintained; however, in extraordinary cases, a maximum of up to 20% may be accepted.

Note: The above guidelines are minimum indicative requirements. The University reserves the right to revise, modify, or introduce additional provisions whenever necessary to enhance the quality of research. Any matters not explicitly covered in these guidelines shall be governed by the prevailing University rules and regulations.