This policy applies to all manuscripts submitted to Chitkara University Publications (CUP) Journals. It aims to promote transparency, uphold editorial integrity, and maintain the confidence of authors, reviewers, editors, and readers by ensuring that all potential competing interests (also referred to as conflicts of interest) are appropriately disclosed and managed.

To enable readers to assess potential sources of bias, CUP journals require authors to declare any financial or non-financial competing interests related to the work described in their submission. The corresponding author bears responsibility for submitting a complete and accurate Competing Interests Statement on behalf of all co-authors.

Definition of Competing Interests

For the purposes of this policy, competing interests refer to any financial or non-financial relationships or affiliations that could compromise, or be perceived to compromise, the objectivity, integrity, or impartiality of a publication. Such interests may have the potential to influence how authors collect, analyze, interpret, or present data, or how editors and reviewers make their decisions.

A competing interest exists when an individual’s professional judgment concerning a primary interest — such as the validity of research findings, or the fairness of editorial decision-making — may be affected, or could reasonably appear to be affected, by a secondary interest such as personal, financial, or professional gain.

Competing interests may include, but are not limited to:

• Financial interests
  • Employment, consultancy, honoraria, research funding, or travel grants from organizations that may benefit or lose from the publication.
  • Ownership of stocks, shares, patents, or pending intellectual property related to the manuscript’s subject.

• Non-financial interests
  • Personal, professional, or family relationships that may affect objectivity.
  • Academic competition, ideological, political, or religious beliefs influencing interpretation or conclusions.

• Institutional or organizational interests
  • When an author’s, or editor’s institution stands to benefit from the outcome of a publication.

CUP encourages authors and referees to declare any unpaid roles or relationships that might have a bearing on the publication process and decision. 

Authors’ Responsibilities

Authors must disclose all financial and non-financial competing interests that could reasonably be perceived to influence their work.

• A Conflict of Interest statement must be included in every manuscript at submission.
  • If there are no competing interests, authors should state:
    “The authors declare that they have no competing interests.”
  • If competing interests exist, a clear and concise disclosure must be made (e.g., “Author A has received research funding from Organization X”).
• The corresponding author must ensure all co-authors are aware of and agree to the submitted disclosures.
• Disclosures should cover relationships or interests from the past three years, or longer if they could influence the work.
• If new competing interests arise after submission or publication, the authors must promptly notify the editorial office.
• In case authors are bound by confidentiality agreements, then it can be stated as follows: The authors declare that they are bound by confidentiality agreements that prevent them from disclosing their competing interests in this work.

Editors’ Responsibilities

Editors must avoid handling manuscripts where they have a competing interest.

• If an editor has a conflict (e.g., co-authorship, institutional affiliation, or personal relationship), they must excuse themselves and assign the manuscript to another editor.
• Editors must not be influenced by commercial, personal, or institutional considerations in their decisions.
• All editors must declare their competing interests annually to the publisher.

Reviewers’ Responsibilities

Reviewers play a vital role in safeguarding research integrity and must declare any competing interests before accepting a review.

• If a reviewer has a conflict (e.g., prior collaboration with an author, same institution, or financial or personal association), they must decline or notify the handling editor.
• Reviewers must not use unpublished data or information gained during peer review for personal or professional advantage.

Transparency and Publication

• Declared competing interests will be published alongside the article.
• If no competing interests are declared, the standard statement will appear in the article.
• Undisclosed competing interests discovered after publication will be addressed following COPE guidelines, which may include issuing a correction, expression of concern, or retraction.

Implementation

• A Competing Interests Statement is mandatory for all submissions.
• The online submission system includes a required disclosure field.
• This policy is publicly available on the journal’s website and reviewed periodically for compliance with COPE.