Peer Review Policy

The VIMS Journal of Health Research and Innovations (VJHRI) follows a double-blind peer review process to ensure the quality, integrity, and impartiality of published research.

Initial Screening

All submitted manuscripts are assessed by the Editorial Office to ensure they:

• Are within the journal's scope.
• Comply with the Instructions for Authors.
• Meet ethical and scientific standards.
• Successfully pass plagiarism screening.

Manuscripts that do not meet these requirements may be returned to the authors or rejected without external review.

Double-Blind Peer Review

Suitable manuscripts are sent to at least two independent reviewers with expertise in the relevant subject area.

In the double-blind review process:

• Authors do not know the identities of the reviewers.
• Reviewers do not know the identities of the authors.
• All manuscripts are treated as confidential.
• Reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest before accepting the review.

Editorial Decision

Based on the reviewers' recommendations, the Editor-in-Chief or Associate Editor will make one of the following decisions:

• Accept
• Minor Revision
• Major Revision
• Reject

The final decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief.

Revised Manuscripts

Authors should submit a revised manuscript along with a point-by-point response to the reviewers' comments. Revised manuscripts may be sent for further peer review if required.

Publication Ethics

The journal follows the ethical standards and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

Review Timeline

The journal aims to communicate the initial editorial decision within 4–8 weeks of manuscript submission. Review times may vary depending on reviewer availability and the extent of revisions required.