Article Processing Charges
The Journal of Community Medicine and Health Sciences (JCMHS) publishes all articles under a Gold Open Access model, ensuring free and unrestricted access to scientific research. To sustain editorial, technical, and preservation activities, a modest Article Processing Charge (APC) is levied after final acceptance. This policy follows transparency principles defined by DOAJ, OASPA, and COPE.
1. Purpose of the APC
The APC supports editorial management, peer review coordination, professional typesetting, DOI registration, digital hosting, indexing, and long-term archiving. The journal’s goal is not profit generation but sustainability and accessibility of research output worldwide.
2. Open Access Model
JCMHS provides immediate, free online access to all published content. Readers can download, share, and reuse content under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0). This open model ensures global visibility and citation of authors’ work.
3. Timing of the APC
The APC is payable only after a manuscript has successfully passed peer review and been accepted for publication. Authors are notified via official acceptance email containing the invoice and payment instructions. Payment is required before production begins.
4. Standard APC Structure
| Article Type | APC (USD) |
|---|---|
| Case Report / Clinical Trial | $2,949 |
| Short Communication / Case Study | $2,949 |
| Opinion / Editorial | $2,949 |
These values reflect the 2025 rate schedule and are reviewed annually to maintain affordability and fairness across research communities.
5. Services Covered by APC
- Editorial handling and peer-review management
- Plagiarism screening (iThenticate)
- Professional copy-editing and layout
- DOI assignment via Crossref
- Permanent archiving through Portico and LOCKSS
- Open-access hosting and global discoverability
- Inclusion in indexing and metadata databases
- Author support, communication, and production proofing
6. Fee Transparency and Ethics
JCMHS maintains full transparency in all charges. No hidden fees are applied. The editorial and peer-review process is financially independent of payment status — ensuring that acceptance is solely merit-based and uninfluenced by financial transactions.
7. Waivers and Discounts
The journal supports researchers from low- and middle-income economies and provides waiver or discount options in accordance with the World Bank Income Classification.
| Author Category | Waiver/Discount |
|---|---|
| Low-income countries | Up to 100 % waiver |
| Lower-middle-income countries | Up to 50 % discount |
| Early-career researchers or students | Case-by-case partial waiver |
| Editorial board members or active reviewers | Voucher or reduced rate |
Waiver requests must be submitted during the submission stage. Once payment is made, retrospective waivers cannot be applied.
8. Institutional and Funder Support
Authors are encouraged to use open-access funding provided by universities or research grants. JCMHS complies with institutional and funder mandates, including those from Plan S, NIH, and Horizon Europe. Invoices include all details required for reimbursement.
9. Payment Process
- Upon acceptance, an APC invoice is sent via the Editorial Office.
- Payments can be made by credit/debit card, bank transfer, or PayPal.
- After payment, authors receive a receipt and confirmation of processing.
- Invoices clearly specify article title, manuscript ID, and amount paid.
10. Refund and Cancellation
Refunds are processed as outlined in the Refund Policy. Refunds may be approved for technical errors or duplicate payments but are not available once an article is published.
11. Sponsored and Institutional Agreements
Institutions, consortia, or organizations may establish direct sponsorship agreements to cover APCs for their members. Sponsored articles are published under identical peer-review and ethical conditions, with explicit funding acknowledgment.
12. Fee Exemptions
No APC is charged for invited editorials, commentary articles, corrigenda, or retraction notices initiated by the Editorial Board. Supplementary files or multimedia attachments are included without additional cost.
13. Annual Review of APCs
APC rates are reviewed every fiscal year based on inflation, operational costs, and exchange rates. Any adjustments are announced publicly and apply only to new submissions following the update.
14. Compliance with Global Standards
- Adheres to DOAJ’s Principles of Transparency and Best Practice
- Complies with COPE’s financial and editorial independence standards
- Supports OASPA code for open-access publishers
- Follows ICMJE guidance on conflicts of interest and funding disclosure
15. Financial Accountability
All financial transactions are processed through secure, audited systems managed by Peertechz Publications Pvt. Ltd.. Payment records are retained for verification and compliance with international accounting standards.
16. APC Breakdown
| Service Component | Approx. Allocation (%) |
|---|---|
| Peer-review and editorial management | 35 % |
| Production and formatting | 25 % |
| Digital preservation and hosting | 15 % |
| Metadata and indexing integration | 10 % |
| Technical support and platform maintenance | 10 % |
| Administrative compliance and auditing | 5 % |
This cost allocation ensures that APCs directly sustain scholarly dissemination infrastructure and author services.
17. Ethical Handling of Payments
Payments do not influence editorial outcomes. Editors and reviewers remain unaware of any financial transactions during the review process. All APC-related communications are handled by the Finance Office independently.
18. Invoicing and Receipt Format
Each invoice includes the following details:
- Article title and manuscript ID
- Author and payer information
- Payment amount, currency, and method
- Publisher bank details and SWIFT code
- Official signature and digital seal
19. Currency Conversion
Payments are accepted in USD. Authors paying in other currencies must ensure equivalence at current exchange rates, as minor fluctuations may occur due to bank conversion fees.
20. Contact and Support
- Finance Inquiries: [email protected]
- Editorial Inquiries: [email protected]
- Subject: “APC Query – [Manuscript ID]”
- Response time: 3–5 business days
21. Transparency and Accountability Statement
JCMHS publicly declares all fees on its website. No additional costs (such as color charges, submission fees, or page charges) are applied. Authors can request APC confirmation before submission to ensure full clarity.
22. Policy Updates and Review
The APC Policy is reviewed annually by the Publisher and Editorial Board to ensure transparency, affordability, and alignment with evolving open-access publishing standards.
“Open access empowers the community — transparency in publication charges ensures equality and trust in scholarly communication.”