Review Timeline Policy

Review Timeline

Review Timeline Policy

Editorial and Peer Review Timeline

The Indian Journal of Psychological Science (IJPS) is committed to ensuring a timely, transparent, and efficient peer-review and publication process while maintaining the highest standards of academic quality, editorial integrity, and ethical publishing practices.

The timelines provided below are indicative estimates and may vary depending on reviewer availability, manuscript quality, revision requirements, submission volume, and editorial workload.

Note: While the journal strives to adhere to the timelines outlined below, publication quality and rigorous peer review take precedence over speed of processing.

Initial Editorial Screening

Upon submission, each manuscript undergoes an initial editorial screening to assess:

  • Scope and relevance to the journal.
  • Compliance with manuscript formatting requirements.
  • Plagiarism screening and ethical compliance.
  • Completeness of submission files and metadata.
  • Adherence to journal policies and author guidelines.
Stage Estimated Timeline
Initial Editorial Screening Approximately 3 Weeks

Manuscripts that do not comply with journal requirements may be returned to authors for correction before entering the peer-review stage.

Peer Review Process

Eligible manuscripts are forwarded for evaluation by qualified subject experts through the journal's confidential peer-review process.

Reviewers assess manuscripts based on:

  • Originality and novelty.
  • Methodological rigor and scientific validity.
  • Academic and scholarly contribution.
  • Clarity and quality of presentation.
  • Ethical compliance.
  • Relevance to the field of psychology and allied disciplines.
Stage Estimated Timeline
Peer Review 2–8 Weeks

Review duration may vary depending on:

  • Reviewer availability and response time.
  • Complexity and subject matter of the manuscript.
  • Need for additional expert evaluation.
  • Requests for clarification during review.

Revision Stage

Authors receiving revision requests are expected to submit revised manuscripts within the timeframe communicated by the editorial office.

Revision Type Suggested Timeline
Minor Revision 7–15 Days
Major Revision 15–30 Days
Failure to submit a revision within the specified period, without prior communication or an approved extension request, may result in administrative withdrawal of the manuscript from the review process.

Final Editorial Decision

Following peer review and evaluation of any revisions, the editorial board may issue one of the following decisions:

  • Accept
  • Minor Revision
  • Major Revision
  • Reject
Stage Estimated Timeline
Final Editorial Decision 5–15 Working Days

Final decisions are made after careful consideration of reviewer recommendations, editorial assessment, ethical compliance, and the overall scholarly merit of the manuscript.

Publication Timeline

Accepted manuscripts proceed through the production workflow, including:

  • Copyediting
  • Proofreading
  • Formatting and layout preparation
  • DOI assignment
  • Publication scheduling
Stage Estimated Timeline
Post-Acceptance Production & Publication 1–4 Weeks

Delay and Exceptional Circumstances

While the journal strives to maintain efficient processing times, delays may occasionally occur due to:

  • Reviewer unavailability.
  • Technical or system-related issues.
  • Ethical investigations or misconduct reviews.
  • High manuscript submission volume.
  • Additional editorial or peer-review requirements.
Authors will be informed appropriately if significant delays occur during any stage of manuscript processing.

Author Communication

Authors are encouraged to maintain all manuscript-related correspondence within a single email thread or designated communication channel to facilitate efficient tracking and editorial coordination.

The corresponding author will normally receive updates regarding:

  • Manuscript receipt confirmation.
  • Editorial screening status.
  • Peer-review progress.
  • Revision requests.
  • Editorial decisions.
  • Publication scheduling and progress.
Transparency Commitment: IJPS is committed to maintaining open communication with authors throughout the editorial and publication process while ensuring confidentiality, fairness, and adherence to ethical publishing standards.

Policy Disclaimer

The timelines stated above are approximate and do not constitute a guarantee of publication or decision within a fixed period. Editorial decisions are based solely on academic merit, reviewer recommendations, and compliance with journal policies.