The Instructions below come into immediate effect.
All scientists will be provided access to the "ithenticate" software for similarity check. Due to limited number of licenses, it is not possible to provide it to all. However, others needing to use it may please approach any scientist for help. The software can be accessed from any IP address and MAC no. No scientist will share his/her User ID and Password for the software with anyone.
For any problems in accessing "ithenticate" please contact Dr. Anjani Sahu.
If the individual account is found to be inactive or un-accessed for 6 months, the account will be deactivated centrally.
Scientists (as well as any other author/creator of any public document) will be individually responsible for their publications (as author, co-author), thesis guided, and any other documents originated by them that will be in the public forum.
All publications, proposals, reports, thesis, and all documents which will be available in the public domain, MUST be subjected to this check and before transmittal. In case of revisions of documents, the revised versions should be checked. After all such checks, a report is generated and these reports MUST be maintained by the author/originator for future reference.
Threshold of Similarity for Publications, Thesis, White Paper
Based on the recommendations of a committee and after discussion with all HoDs, the following will be the mandatory guidelines to be followed for all articles sent for publication, white papers, as well as all thesis submitted based on work done at NML:
1. Similarity should be less than or equal to 10% for the entire document from all sources
2. A maximum of 5% similarity can be condoned from a single source
3. A consecutive 14 word limit or less should be imposed for any similarity check.
4. Author Names, Affiliations, Bibliography, Acknowledgements, Referred texts (within quotes) can be excluded from "similarity check". All generic terms, laws, standard symbols and standard equations are excluded from the check.
5. In case the author wants to proceed with a document with higher than threshold values indicated above, he/she can provide a soft copy of the same to his/her divisional head for cross check. The HoD will either carry out the check himself or delegate it to a senior (non-author) person in the division for qualitative evaluation of the similarities. In case of non-resolution at the divisional level, Head KRIT will be the final arbiter.
Regarding Reports, Proposals, Concept Notes, Annual Report, Handbooks, etc.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated in these documents as well. However, due to necessary repetition of certain texts, tables, charts, etc. in reports, especially technical reports, RPBD will take a call on whether there is incidental repetition or plagiarism. Project Proposals/concept notes/ will similarly be checked by RPBD before permitting transmittal. In this context, Annual Reports will be the responsibility of KRIT and handbooks/brochures of the originating division.
Caveats
* The "ithenticate" does not provide similarity comparison for figures and diagrams, and provides a check of text only.
* A co-author is as responsible for an article as is the first/corresponding author. Ignorance is not an excuse in matters of plagiarism.
* In spite of "similarity check", if a document is proved to be "plagiarized", for reasons mentioned above, or otherwise, the carrying out a similarity check will not be a mitigating circumstance. So, authors of all public documents are warned to be extra careful in submission of documents. The punishments for plagiarism are quite strict and career-devastating, and they will be imposed.
All HoDs: Please disseminate these instructions widely. A copy of these instructions be maintained in every division, for ready reference