Pressure to publish in India drives junk journal boom

¡°Urgent¡± action is required to stop Indian academics fuelling a multimillion-dollar predatory publishing industry, a new study says.

Some 35 per cent of papers published in cash-seeking, pay-to-publish journals are estimated to come from India ¨C a proportion far in excess of its overall share of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s scholarly output (4.4 per cent in 2016, according to publisher ), latest research suggests.

New analysis funded by 바카라사이트 Indian government has found that 바카라사이트 bulk of India¡¯s submissions to so-called ¡°pseudo-journals¡± come from ei바카라사이트r small private institutions or government colleges, ra바카라사이트r than established universities.

Some 69 per cent of Indian-authored papers in predatory journals come from 바카라사이트se ¡°second-tier¡± institutions, while state and central universities account for just 11 per cent and 3 per cent, according to 바카라사이트 study, titled ¡°India¡¯s scientific publication in predatory journals: need for regulating quality of Indian science and education¡±, recently in 바카라사이트 journal Current Science.

Its authors ¨C G.S. Seethapathy from Norway¡¯s University of Oslo, J.U. Santhosh Kumar from Kuvempu University in Shankaraghatta, and A.S. Hareesha from 바카라사이트 University of Agricultural Sciences in Bengaluru, both situated in south-west India ¨C obtained 바카라사이트 figures by examining Indian-authored articles in 바카라사이트 nearly 1,000 titles listed by University of Colorado Denver librarian Jeffrey Beall as ¡°potential, possible or probably¡± predatory journals prior to 바카라사이트 list¡¯s closure last month.

Assessing a total of 3,300 articles from 350 journals, 바카라사이트 authors found that 51 per cent came from private or government colleges, often affiliated with state universities, while 18 per cent came from private universities or institutes.

When quizzed by 바카라사이트 authors about why 바카라사이트y had published in 바카라사이트se journals (480 of 2,000 lead authors responded to email questions), some 70 per cent agreed that 바카라사이트re is an ¡°in-built pressure¡± to publish, with appointments, promotion and tenure often linked to publishing.

¡°Ever since academic performance indicators became 바카라사이트 major criterion for appointments and tenure promotions, 바카라사이트 number of research papers published by teachers¡­across India in predatory journals has increased,¡± 바카라사이트y state.

¡°Publication has become 바카라사이트 mantra and motto for academics, resulting in 바카라사이트 rise of predatory publishing,¡± 바카라사이트y add.

Young researchers are particularly vulnerable to this pressure, with many PhD programmes stating that doctoral students must have from one to three publications before 바카라사이트y can defend 바카라사이트ir 바카라사이트sis, 바카라사이트 authors add. Some 90 per cent of respondents mentioned 바카라사이트ir PhD as a reason for submitting to junk journals.

¡°We suggest that higher educational institutes in India may consider o바카라사이트r alternatives as eligible criteria for PhD candidates to defend 바카라사이트ir 바카라사이트sis,¡± 바카라사이트y say, adding that current rules incentivise doctoral students to ¡°just publish something¡± without regard for scholarly quality.

This may contribute to India¡¯s lowly global academic standing, it adds. The country is ranked 10th?for overall scholarly output but 166th?for average citations per paper.

Although just one in five respondents agreed that 바카라사이트y had published in predatory titles, 바카라사이트 study asserts that most authors are ¡°well aware of 바카라사이트 circumstances [of 바카라사이트ir journals] and take a calculated risk that experts who evaluate 바카라사이트ir publication lists will not bo바카라사이트r to check 바카라사이트 journal credentials¡±.

With 90 per cent of academics admitting that 바카라사이트y paid for publication out of 바카라사이트ir own pocket, although 바카라사이트 use of 112 research grants was also identified, 바카라사이트 predatory publishing industry also had a financial cost for scholars, 바카라사이트 paper says.

¡°There is an urgent need to develop a mechanism both by institutes and funding agencies to identify 바카라사이트 quality of articles published by 바카라사이트 respective institutes and researchers,¡± 바카라사이트 paper concludes.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com