Publishing Policy

Publishing Policy

Publishing Policy

MAIRAJ is a biannual, open-access scholarly journal publishing original research in Social Sciences, English Language and Literature, Urdu Language and Literature, and related interdisciplinary fields. The journal accepts manuscripts in English or Urdu and publishes two regular issues annually, covering January–June and July–December.

Manuscript Submission

Authors submit manuscripts through the journal’s Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform. Submissions must comply with the journal’s Author Guidelines and include accurate author information, institutional affiliations, references, and relevant ethical declarations. Manuscripts must be original and must not be under consideration by another journal.

Initial Editorial Screening

The editorial office assesses each submission for relevance to the journal’s scope, completeness, originality, scholarly quality, and compliance with publication ethics. Manuscripts that do not meet these requirements may be returned for revision or rejected before external peer review.

Double-Blind Peer Review

Manuscripts that pass initial screening are evaluated by at least two independent reviewers with relevant subject expertise. Author and reviewer identities are withheld from one another. Reviewers assess originality, methodological quality, clarity, relevance, ethical compliance, and contribution to scholarship. An additional independent review may be requested where reports differ substantially.

Revisions and Editorial Decisions

Authors may be asked to revise their manuscripts and provide a response explaining how reviewer comments have been addressed. Revised manuscripts may undergo further review. The Editor-in-Chief makes the final publication decision based on reviewer reports, scholarly merit, and compliance with the journal’s policies. Submission or completion of peer review does not guarantee acceptance.

Editorial Independence and Conflicts of Interest

Editorial decisions are made independently of financial, institutional, personal, or political influence. Editors and reviewers must disclose relevant conflicts of interest. Submissions from editors, editorial board members, or individuals with close personal or professional relationships to an editor are assigned to an independent editor and reviewed without preferential treatment.

Production and Publication

Accepted manuscripts undergo copyediting, formatting, and final checks before publication. Authors are responsible for checking proofs and reporting errors promptly. Articles are assigned to an issue according to editorial scheduling and production readiness. Publication dates must accurately reflect publication, and acceptance does not guarantee inclusion in a particular issue.

Open Access, Copyright and Fees

Published articles are immediately available without subscription or access charges. Authors retain copyright and grant MAIRAJ the non-exclusive right of first publication. Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). MAIRAJ charges no submission, peer-review, processing, or publication fees.

Publication Ethics and Post-Publication Responsibilities

Authors remain responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of their work. The editorial team is responsible for applying the journal’s editorial and ethical policies and addressing substantiated concerns. Errors or ethical concerns identified after publication are investigated and, where necessary, addressed through corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions.