Original:
Unfortunately modern developments in research through Open-Access
publishing, in spite of being a productive motive towards fast and authentic scientific
publication, have also infiltrated the purity of publication ethics and hammered
hard the so-called reliable peer-review system. Research community is on to a
serious threat by predatory publishers and journals, the word first used
in 2012 by Jeffery Beall (academic librarian at University of Colorado, USA). Their
hidden slogan being, “Throw money and get your work published online”.
After the advent of open-access, black sheep of research and business
community have instigated scam online publishers not having reliable editorial process
and referral system for submitted manuscripts. They grab money from authors to
publish their works without due peer-review process benefiting at large incomplete,
duplicate, plagiarized and unscientific submissions to getting published quickly.
Mr. Beall claims invoking increase in fake publishers and fraud research
journals. The climax of the rapidly growing callous practice follows by the fact
that from 2012 to 2013, in just one year time span, the number rises from 23 to
225.
Many innocent and young researchers from developing countries, not
having adequate exposure to such mal-practicing mafias, start their research career
by submitting their work to such journals. However, many scholars intentionally
publish their works with such circles in order to get bonus of academic up
gradation.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) must take serious note of
such publications. Though HEC has announced list of recognized journals but
these predatory international journals need clear verdict for being completely
banned. HEC should circulate official wording to all concerned institutes and
universities highlighting the list of predatory publishers. Authorities should introduce
strict scrutiny measures to discard and discourage predatory publications of
scholars while academic up gradations and appointments to important posts. See the published at: http://www.nation.com.pk/letters/14-Jan-2014/predatory-publishers
