JNANASETU - OPEN ACADEMIC REPOSITORY POLICY

Policy Framework for Submission, Preservation, Access, Copyright, Ethics, and Use

1. Introduction and Purpose

Jnanasetu is an open-access digital repository dedicated to collecting, preserving, and providing access to scholarly research outputs, including pre-prints, dissertations, project reports, conference papers, research datasets, and educational resources. The purpose of this policy is to define standards and procedures that govern the submission, management, access, preservation, ethical compliance, and usage of repository content to support responsible scholarly dissemination. The policies aim to ensure accessibility, research integrity, long-term preservation, and alignment with international open-access principles.

2. Submission, Review, and Eligibility

2.1 Who Can Submit

Submissions may be made by:

• Students (undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral) submissions must include a duly signed undertaking and declaration
• Faculty members and researchers
• Academic institutions and research organisations
• Independent scholars with verifiable academic credentials

2.2 Items Eligible for Submission

The repository accepts:

• Preprints
• Dissertations and theses
• Academic project and internship reports
• Conference papers and proceedings
• Research datasets and supporting data
• Research and technical reports
• Educational and teaching resources
• Other potential research outputs

2.3 Administrative Review Process

All items undergo an administrative review before archiving to verify:

• Completeness and accuracy of metadata
• Compliance with content scope
• Conformance with ethical and copyright standards
• Proper author declarations

The repository does not conduct formal peer review; archiving approval is based solely on administrative compliance checks.

2.4 Grounds for Rejection

Submissions may be declined if they:

• Fall outside the repository’s defined scope
• Contain incomplete or inaccurate metadata
• Violate copyright or confidentiality

3. Copyright and Licensing

3.1 Author Rights

Authors retain full copyright and intellectual property over their work. Deposit of content in Jnanasetu does not transfer ownership.

3.2 Licence to Repository

By submitting content, the author grants Jnanasetu a non-exclusive licence to:

• Store and preserve the work
• Provide online access for academic and non-commercial purposes
• Distribute the work within the repository’s open-access framework

3.3 Optional Licensing Choices

Authors are encouraged to assign an open licence (e.g., Creative Commons) to facilitate reuse with appropriate attribution. The repository supports standard open licences that allow broader academic sharing while protecting author rights.

4. Open-Access and Access Restrictions

4.1 Open Access Commitment

Jnanasetu follows an open-access model, providing unrestricted access to research content worldwide. Metadata is openly visible even if full-text access is restricted.

4.2 Embargoes and Restricted Access

Authors may request an embargo where required by:

• Institutional regulation
• Publication agreements
• Sensitive research content

Under embargo, metadata remains publicly visible while full-text access is restricted until the embargo period expires.

5. Academic Integrity and Ethics (Integrity Expectations)

Authors must ensure that submissions:

• Represent original work
• Are accurate and reliably described
• Respect confidentiality, privacy, and legal rights

6. Metadata Standards and Interoperability

The repository ensures metadata is created and structured to support:

• Discoverability in search engines and academic indexes
• Harvesting through open standards such as OAI-PMH
• Integration with national and international repository networks

7. Preservation and Sustainability

The repository commits to digital preservation through:

• Secure and redundant storage systems
• Regular backups
• Format sustainability practices
• Persistent identifiers (e.g., DOIs where applicable)

Although reasonable preservation measures are in place, indefinite preservation cannot be guaranteed due to evolving technological contexts.

8. Usage Policy

8.1 Permitted Use

End users may:

• Search and download open-access content
• Reuse content in accordance with applicable licence terms
• Cite content in research, teaching, and scholarship

8.2 Prohibited Use

Users must not:

• Republish content without author permission
• Use repository content for commercial exploitation beyond allowed licence terms
• Remove technological protection or metadata information

9. Withdrawal and Takedown Policy

Content may be withdrawn in cases of:

• Proven copyright violation
• Legal requirement or court order
• Verified ethical misconduct
• Author request with valid justification

In general, metadata records will remain visible to maintain the scholarly record even after content withdrawal.

10. Privacy and Personal Data

The repository collects limited personal data (e.g., name, email, ORCID) for submission management and communication. Personal data is used solely for internal administration and is not shared with third parties without consent, except as required by law.

11. Policy Review and Updates

These policies may be revised periodically to reflect emerging best practices, legal requirements, technological developments, or operational needs. Updates will be published on the repository website.

12. Contact and Queries

For questions regarding repository policies, submissions, or rights and access, contact:
Email: manager@jnanasetu.org