Article Correction and Retraction

• Minor Errors: Minor errors (such as spelling, grammar, or spacing mistakes) that do not affect the outcome or results of the manuscript, will be corrected without issuing any correction notice.
• Metadata Errors: If there are errors in the manuscript’s metadata (such as title, name of author/s, or minor changes in abstract), request for rectification will be processed only if approved by the managing editor of the journal. Once approved, the manuscript will be updated and re-published on the website. Simultaneously, relevant indexing databases will also be notified to make necessary changes. In such cases, no correction notice will be appended with the manuscript.
• Minor Revision: Requests for minor revisions may be considered upon approval by the editorial board. This may include formatting modifications, addressing missing or unclear figures and tables, making additions/removals/modifications to references, providing funding information, conflict of interest declaration, author contributions, acknowledgments, and other similar minor changes. Once approved, the manuscript will be updated and re-published on website. In such cases, a correction notice shall accompany the manuscript.
• Major Revision: Generally, request for major revision/s after publication of manuscript is not accepted. However, if such a request is deemed to have significant merit by the editorial board, it may be considered. In such instances, the revised manuscript will be sent for peer-review, and if approved by reviewers, it will be re-published on the journal’s website. Additionally, a correction notice will be appended to the originally published manuscript. This shall entail processing charges as well.

Initiation of retraction after publication shall be initiated only under the following circumstances :

• Firstly, if the corresponding author and all co-authors jointly agree that – grave errors, ethical violations, data fabrication, plagiarism, or any other misconduct, which compromises the integrity of scientific research has occurred.
• Secondly, if any of the above mentioned concerns are formally reported to the journal through a complaint, and subsequent investigation (wherein the author/s will also be given an opportunity to respond to allegations and present their viewpoint) confirms the validity of the accusation.

In either case, the published manuscript shall be retracted.

Social Science Periodical adheres to the retraction guidelines outlined by Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in this regard.

As per the guidelines, original publication will remain accessible on the journal’s website for future reference but will bear a conspicuous “RETRACTED” watermark on every page. Simultaneously, a retraction notice will also be appended to the manuscript.