An ‘International Centre for Publication Ethics’ has been proposed at Savitribai Phule Pune University campus in order to curb the proliferation of mediocre journals which has plagued Indian academia.
SPPU’s professor Bhushan Patwardhan, who is also a special invitee member in the UGC Standing Committee for Notification of Journals told media sources that the center wishes to create awareness among faculty and students about the growing dubious publishing business of journals.
Professor Patwardhan, who is head of the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences and director, Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health (CCIH), said that the center would verify the authenticity of the journals before they are included in the approved list of journals of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
“The SPPU along with the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has in principle accepted the proposal,” he said. The need for such a center has emerged from the proliferation of dubious journals in the country.