Article Processing Charges

1. Article Processing Charge Policy

JPSA proposes a publication charge structure based on the author's billing location, manuscript length and article category. The applicable charge is communicated to the corresponding author following formal acceptance of the manuscript.

No payment is required at the time of submission or during peer review. Manuscripts are evaluated on their scientific merit and editorial suitability, independently of the author's ability or willingness to pay publication charges.

2. Article Processing Charges

JPSA proposes separate publication charges for Indian and international authors. The applicable charge is determined by the article category and manuscript length. Payment is requested only after formal acceptance.

4. What the APC Covers

Article Processing Charges are intended to support the activities associated with the editorial preparation and publication of accepted manuscripts. Depending on the services provided by the journal, these activities may include:

• Editorial and publication administration.
• Manuscript preparation and formatting.
• Copyediting and language-related corrections.
• Typesetting and preparation of publication files.
• Online publication and website hosting.
• DOI registration and publication metadata, where applicable.
• Digital archiving and preservation arrangements.

The APC does not represent a payment for acceptance, favourable peer review or guaranteed publication.

5. When Is the APC Payable?

The APC is payable only after a manuscript has received formal acceptance following the applicable editorial assessment and peer review process.

Authors should wait for an official acceptance communication and payment instructions from the editorial office before making any payment. No APC is payable for a manuscript that has been rejected.

Payment of the APC is required to proceed with publication where the charge applies, unless a full waiver has been formally approved.

6. Waiver and Discount Eligibility

JPSA recognises that publication costs may create difficulties for researchers who do not have institutional funding or adequate financial support. Authors may therefore request a full or partial waiver of the applicable APC.

Waiver requests may be considered under the following circumstances:

• Authors based in low-income or lower-middle-income countries who face significant financial constraints.
• Students and early-career researchers without access to institutional or research funding.
• Authors whose research has received no grant, institutional or other financial support.
• Researchers from institutions with limited resources and no available publication budget.
• Authors experiencing exceptional financial or institutional circumstances.

Eligibility for consideration does not guarantee approval. Each request will be evaluated individually, taking into account the circumstances explained by the corresponding author.

7. Requesting a Waiver

Authors seeking a full or partial waiver should submit a written request to the editorial office. The request should preferably be made at the time of manuscript submission or before the manuscript receives an editorial decision.

The request should briefly explain the financial circumstances, funding availability and reason for seeking assistance. Supporting information may be requested where necessary.

Waiver decisions should be communicated independently of the scientific evaluation of the manuscript. Authors should not assume that a waiver has been granted until they receive written confirmation.

8. Editorial Independence

The ability or inability of an author to pay an APC must not influence the scientific assessment of a manuscript or the editorial decision.

Editors and reviewers should evaluate submissions according to their originality, scientific quality, relevance and compliance with the journal's publication policies. Payment must not guarantee acceptance, accelerate peer review or influence reviewer recommendations.

9. Payment Procedure and Receipt

Following acceptance, the corresponding author will receive the applicable APC amount and official payment instructions from the journal. Authors should make payments only through payment channels formally authorised by JPSA.

The corresponding author should retain proof of payment and provide transaction details when requested. An official acknowledgement or receipt should be issued for verified payments.

Authors should not transfer publication charges to personal bank accounts or unofficial payment recipients.

10. Taxes and Currency

Indian authors will be quoted charges in Indian Rupees (INR), while international authors will be quoted charges in United States Dollars (USD).

Applicable taxes, including GST where legally required, will be communicated transparently before payment. Any applicable international transaction or currency conversion charges imposed by payment providers or banks may be borne by the payer.

11. Refund Policy

APC payments are associated with the processing and publication of accepted manuscripts. Refund requests will be considered in accordance with the circumstances of the payment.

Duplicate payments, excess payments and payments made in error may be reviewed for correction or refund after verification.

Where a manuscript is withdrawn after acceptance, the corresponding author should contact the editorial office. Any refund will be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the publication work already completed and the journal's approved refund terms.

12. No Additional Undisclosed Charges

JPSA should communicate all mandatory publication charges to authors before payment. Authors should not be asked to pay undisclosed fees for submission, peer review or editorial acceptance.

Any additional optional services or charges, if introduced, must be communicated separately and clearly identified as optional.

13. Changes to APC Rates

The journal reserves the right to review its publication charges in response to changes in publication and operational costs. Any revised fee structure should be published on the official journal website with its effective date.

Authors should be informed of the applicable charges before they proceed with payment.

Related information

Authors are encouraged to review the following information before submitting their manuscripts:

• Author Guidelines
• Manuscript Preparation
• Peer Review Process
• Submission Process
• Publication Ethics