Privacy Policy
How JIRMI collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal data — written in plain language, in compliance with Indian law.
1. Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains how the Journal of International Research & Multidisciplinary Innovation ("JIRMI," "we," "us," or "our"), a sole proprietorship publishing operation based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, collects, uses, stores, discloses, and protects personal data obtained through our website at jirmi.in and related editorial services.
This policy is published in compliance with:
- The Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011
- The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act), to the extent its provisions are in effect
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide Directly
When you submit a manuscript, apply to join the editorial board, or use our contact form, we may collect:
- Full name, title, and honorific
- Email address
- Institutional or organisational affiliation
- Postal / mailing address
- ORCID iD
- Academic qualifications and designation
- Co-author names, affiliations, and email addresses
- Manuscript text, abstract, keywords, and supplementary files
- Declarations (originality, ethics compliance, conflict of interest, AI-use disclosure)
- Any other information you voluntarily include in your submission or correspondence
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you visit jirmi.in, certain information is collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies:
- Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our website. Google Analytics collects information such as your IP address (anonymised where possible), browser type, operating system, referring URL, pages visited, time spent on pages, and approximate geographic location. This data is processed by Google LLC under its own privacy policy. You may opt out by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
- WordPress and hosting logs: Our hosting provider (HostingRaja) may collect server access logs including IP addresses, timestamps, and request data for security and performance monitoring.
- Cookies: Our website uses cookies necessary for WordPress functionality (session management, login persistence for editorial staff). We do not use advertising cookies or third-party tracking cookies beyond Google Analytics.
2.3 Information We Do Not Collect
- We do not collect payment card or bank account details directly on our website. Submission fee payments are processed through third-party payment channels, and we do not store financial instrument data on our servers.
- We do not operate a newsletter or mailing list.
- We do not collect biometric data, passwords of users (except editorial staff WordPress credentials, which are hashed), or government-issued identity numbers.
3. Purpose of Data Collection
| Purpose | Data Used | Legal Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Manuscript submission, peer review, and publication | Name, email, affiliation, ORCID, manuscript, co-author details, declarations | Consent; legitimate interest in editorial operations |
| Assigning Crossref DOIs and metadata registration | Author name(s), article title, DOI, publication date | Legitimate interest; contractual necessity for DOI registration |
| Communication regarding editorial decisions | Name, email | Consent |
| Editorial board applications | Name, email, qualifications, affiliation, institutional profile | Consent |
| Website analytics and performance improvement | Anonymised usage data via Google Analytics | Legitimate interest |
| Compliance with publication ethics (COPE guidelines) | Submission records, declarations, correspondence | Legal obligation; legitimate interest |
| Contact form enquiries | Name, email, message content | Consent |
4. Data Sharing & Disclosure
We may share your personal data with the following categories of recipients, strictly for the purposes described above:
- Peer reviewers: During double-blind review, reviewers receive the manuscript text without author-identifying information. Author identity is not disclosed to reviewers, and reviewer identity is not disclosed to authors.
- Crossref: Author names, article titles, DOIs, and publication metadata are registered with Crossref for DOI assignment and are publicly accessible through Crossref's metadata services.
- Zenodo / repository services: If manuscripts or supplementary materials are deposited in third-party repositories (such as Zenodo), the associated metadata will be shared with those platforms.
- Google LLC: Anonymised website usage data is processed by Google Analytics. See Google's Privacy Policy.
- Brevo (Sendinblue): Transactional emails (e.g., submission confirmations, editorial decisions) are sent via Brevo's SMTP relay service. Recipient email addresses are processed by Brevo in accordance with its privacy policy.
- Hosting provider: HostingRaja, our web hosting service, has access to server-level data as part of its hosting and maintenance functions.
- Legal or regulatory authorities: We may disclose personal data if required by law, court order, or regulatory directive, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of JIRMI, its users, or the public.
5. Published Author Information
When a manuscript is accepted and published, the following information becomes part of the permanent scholarly record and is made publicly available on jirmi.in and through indexing services:
- Author name(s) and co-author name(s)
- Institutional affiliation(s)
- Email address of the corresponding author (if the author consents to its publication)
- ORCID iD (if provided)
- Abstract, keywords, and full article text (under CC BY 4.0 licence)
- Crossref DOI
6. Data Retention
| Data Category | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Published articles and metadata | Indefinitely (permanent scholarly record) |
| Rejected or withdrawn manuscripts | 3 years from editorial decision, then securely deleted |
| Editorial board applications | 2 years, or until deletion is requested |
| Contact form submissions | 1 year |
| Server and analytics logs | Per Google's and HostingRaja's respective policies |
7. Data Security
We implement reasonable security practices and procedures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction, including:
- SSL/TLS encryption (HTTPS) across the entire website
- Hashed storage of WordPress user passwords
- Role-based access controls, including a custom Editorial Assistant role with limited permissions
- SMTP authentication for outbound emails (via Brevo, port 587)
- Regular software and plugin updates
8. Cookies
Cookies are small text files placed on your device by websites you visit. They are widely used to make websites work efficiently and to provide reporting information.
| Cookie Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress session cookies | Site functionality, login for editorial staff | Session / persistent |
Google Analytics (_ga, _gid, _gat) | Anonymised website traffic analysis | Up to 2 years |
You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect certain website features. For Google Analytics specifically, you can install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
9. Your Rights
Under applicable Indian law, including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (to the extent its provisions are in effect), you have the following rights:
- Right to Access: You may request confirmation of whether we hold personal data about you and, if so, request a summary of such data.
- Right to Correction: You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
- Right to Erasure: You may request deletion of your personal data, subject to our legal obligations and the requirements of the scholarly record (published articles and their metadata may not be erasable).
- Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal.
- Right to Grievance Redressal: You may raise a complaint with our Grievance Officer (see Section 12) or with the Data Protection Board of India, once constituted.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at editor@jirmi.in.
10. Children's Data
JIRMI does not knowingly collect personal data from children under the age of 18 without verifiable parental or guardian consent. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected such data, we will take steps to delete it promptly. If you believe a minor has submitted personal data to us, please contact us at the addresses listed below.
11. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to external websites (e.g., Crossref, ORCID, institutional profile pages, Google Forms). We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit.
12. Grievance Officer
In accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the rules made thereunder, the details of the Grievance Officer are:
Designation: Grievance Officer, JIRMI
Email: deepak@jirmi.in
Address: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
The Grievance Officer shall address your concerns within thirty (30) days of receiving a written complaint.
13. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or editorial operations. The updated policy will be posted on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Continued use of the website after any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
14. Contact Us
For any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact:
Email: editor@jirmi.in
Website: https://jirmi.in