Publish with the journal

Everything you need to prepare, submit and publish a manuscript in the Indian Journal of Criminology.

No feesNo submission or processing charges
Open all yearSubmit whenever your paper is ready
Double-blind reviewBy independent experts
Open accessFree to read on publication

Call for papers, December 2026 issue. Submissions close on 15 November 2026 days left

Check your manuscript

Before you submit

Tick each item as you check your manuscript. Nothing is sent or saved; this is for your own review.

0 of 8 ready

Within the word limit for its type, including abstract and footnotes
Abstract of 200–250 words
Clear introduction and conclusion
A4, double-spaced, with wide margins
Harvard (author–date) referencing, with an alphabetical reference list
Written in English, as an editable softcopy
Cover letter with every author’s name, affiliation and the paper’s topic
Signed declaration of originality and no conflict of interest

How to submit

Send your manuscript by email, addressed to the Editor.

Send to

indianjournalofcriminology@nludelhi.ac.in

Attach three things

Manuscript

Prepared to the guidelines below, in English.

Cover letter

Each author’s name and institutional affiliation, and the paper’s topic.

Signed declaration

The work is original, unpublished and not under consideration elsewhere, and no author has a conflict of interest.

What happens after you submit

Every manuscript goes through the same six stages.

Plagiarism checkEvery manuscript is screened for similarity before review.
Editorial screeningThe editors check scope and basic requirements.
Double-blind reviewIndependent experts review the paper without knowing who wrote it.
RevisionYou revise the manuscript if reviewers request changes.
DecisionThe editors accept, reject or ask for further revision.
PublicationAccepted papers are copy-edited and published in the next available issue.

Manuscript guidelines

Word limits (including abstract and footnotes)

Research article7,000–8,000
Essay5,000–6,000
Note or comment3,000–4,000
Book review1,500–2,500

Format

An abstract of 200–250 words
A clear introduction and conclusion
A4 page, double-spaced, wide margins
Tables and graphs only where the argument needs them
Book reviews give the author or editor, title, place of publication, publisher, year, page count and price

Referencing: Harvard style

In the text

… as recent studies show (Smith, 2019).

In the reference list

List every source at the end, alphabetically by author’s surname.

Quotations

Double quotation marks, with single marks for a quotation within a quotation.

Harvard citation guide

Open access, copyright and ethics

Open access

All content is free to read immediately on publication under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. There are no submission or processing charges; the journal is supported by National Law University Delhi.

Copyright

Authors assign copyright to the journal on acceptance, using the form below, and keep the right to reuse their work in future publications.

Publication ethics

No plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, or manipulation of data or images. The same standards apply to editors and reviewers. Corrections and retractions are published alongside the original article.

Report a concern

Copyright assignment form

Complete this once your manuscript is accepted. The corresponding author signs on behalf of all authors. Fill it in here, then print or save it as a PDF, sign it and email it to the office.

Manuscript title

Corresponding author

All authors and affiliations

Date of submission

On acceptance, the authors assign copyright in the work to the Indian Journal of Criminology, including the exclusive right to publish and license it in any medium. The authors keep the right to reuse the work in their own future publications.

The work is original, has not been published before and is not under review elsewhere. The work does not infringe any third-party rights, and all authors have no conflict of interest. The authors have followed the journal’s guidelines and understand that a false declaration may lead to action under journal and UGC rules.

Email the signed form

Signature of corresponding author

Common questions

Does it cost anything to publish?

No. There are no submission or article processing charges. The journal is supported by National Law University Delhi.

When can I submit?

At any time. Submissions are accepted all year. The current call for papers is for the December 2026 issue, closing on 15 November 2026.

How often is the journal published?

Twice a year, in a January–June issue and a July–December issue.

What if my accepted paper misses the next issue?

It is carried forward and published in the following issue.

Can I reuse my article after publication?

Yes. Authors keep the right to reuse their work in their own future publications.

How do I get a print copy?

Email indianjournalofcriminology@nludelhi.ac.in with the volume and issue you need.