Indian Journal of Surgery held the annual meeting of the Editorial Board along with the executives of the Association of Surgeons of India at the Meeting Hall at ASICON, Mumbai University, Kalinga Campus, Santa Cruz, Mumbai on Wednesday the 21st December 2022, Time 12 noon.
The following were present :
Dr Sandeep Kumar in chair, Satish Balakrishna Dharap, G Siddesh, Sanjay Kumar Jain, Abhay Dalvi, Pratapsinh A Varute, Bhanwar Lal Yadav, Santhosh John Abraham, Rajan B Patel, D Maruthu Pandian, Shiva K Misra, G Laxmana Sastry, Deborshi Sharma, Rajesh Bhojwani, Kaushik Bhattacharya, Sameer Rege Ashok, TejaswiniVallabha, Anamika Pandey, GG Agarwal SushilaSripad, Dilip Gupta, Sudeep R Shah, Pooja Ramakant, Rajashekar Mohan, CK Durga, BKC Mohanprasad, YM FazilMarickar
The following agenda was met:
- Welcome by President Dr G Siddesh
- Introduction & Welcome by Editor-in-Chief Dr Sandeep Kumar – Chief Editor’s Report annexed (Annexure 1)
- IJoS ppt presentation by Dr Eti Dinesh, Senior Editor Clinical Medicine – Springer presentation annexed (Annexure 2)
- Editorial Board and Executive members participation and comments were as follows:
4.1 The entire Editorial Board appreciated the work of the Chief Editor IJoS Dr Sandeep Kumar who has made it possible to hike the number of manuscripts received by the Indian Journal of Surgery from 1000 / year to now approximately 2000/year. That shows the increase in popularity and acceptance of the Journal in the surgical field. The ASI Executives and the Editorial Board Members expressed great satisfaction and were ever thankful to earn a revenue of approximately Rs 5 Crores in the past 3 years 2019, 2020, and 2021. This increased revenue is approximately 1/3rd each on accord of savings on printing costs, Springer’s Consortium sale and manuscripts downloads The Members were also highly appreciative of the progress, the visibility, doubling of the number of manuscript submission earned and most of all fast high quality detailed review process of the manuscripts.
4.2 The Chief Editor informed that it is the high quality detailed reviewing process that is in our hands and it is the most important thing that we could be doing for overall improvement of the journal. He requested all the Editorial Board Member to give their full might in the manuscript review process. It was re-iterated that like patient care, teaching and research it is incumbent upon all academic surgeons who publish their work to be equally enthusiastic about reviewing the manuscripts of other colleagues. Furthermore, it was requested to identify and forward the names and addresses of good Samaritan manuscript reviewers
4.3 Most members expressed the concerns regarding Impact Factor and PubMed enlisting of the Journal. Dr Eti Dinesh informed that the PubMed registration has been filed by Springer Nature. She was requested to provide regular and preferably monthly update on the progress of PubMed registration.
Dr Sandeep Kumar said that Impact Factor and various indices are translational values of the published manuscripts. It is a long and arduous journey to gain few points in Impact Factor. He cited the example of eminent surgeons who submit their best manuscripts to IJoS. He requested the members to submit their best manuscripts to IJoS and contribute maximally in the review process of the manuscript. It is the review process alone which will gradually enhance the status of the journal at this stage because most of other things have been taken care of. As we get more efficient we shall receive higher quality articles.
4.4 Dr Sudeep Shah and Dr Kaushik Bhattacharya said that Level 2 copyediting is not being done to which Dr Eti Dinesh generally agreed the Board members emphasised to publishers to enhance the level of copyediting
4.5 It was further suggested and agreed by all those present that the Editor should hire or outsource professionals or individuals or a company for the medical copyediting. The Chief Editor was authorised to spend up to Rs 1 to 2 lac per month, if necessary that is up to 15 lacs per year for improving and bringing uniformity to finally published manuscripts. The President ASI Prof G Siddesh has to approve this. The members to identify such individuals or agencies who can provide level 2 copyediting of medical manuscripts along with plagiarism checks
4.6 Similarly the feedback on plagiarism test from Springer was that they do a plagiarism check, however it is not very thorough. Therefore, the members resolved that the above mechanism in the same cost through the same agency as in 4.4 should be used for plagiarism test
4.7 Workshops on Research Methodology and Medical Writing should be held on behest of Indian Journal of Surgery Editorial Board as much as possible. The Editor-in-Chief informed that he has already discussed this with Dr Santhosh John Abraham, Director Academic Council. Dr Sudeep Shah may take up this task of conducting the next workshop / symposium / session of IJoS at the next 83rd Annual Conference ASICON 2023 at Vishakhapatnam on 13th to 16th December 2023.
4.8 Dr Satish Dharap will see and approve the type setting and make up of each Journal issue – however, the modality of this will have to be determined
4.9 Dr Kaushik Bhattacharya proposed to the Chief Editor IJoS to make a provision to recognise and award the 10 best papers published in the IJoS in a year, 10 top reviewers of IJoS /year and also recognise the work of the Editorial Board members in smooth conduction of the journal. Prof Mallika Tewari, and Prof Satish Dharap in consultation with the Editorial Board Members and Chief Editor Prof Sandeep Kumar shall take up this task and they will select the 10 best papers and best reviewers in the past 3 years.
4.10 Content list to go on email of all members of Association of Surgeons of India – Dr Eti Dinesh may take up this from her office or the pdf of the content list should be given to the Headquarters of ASI who will send it to all its members.
4.11 An exclusive meeting of the IJoS Editorial Board and Associate Editors has not taken place in the last 4 years. Earlier this meeting used to be held at Delhi on behest of Springer Nature as a lunch meeting where Board members travelled on their own cost – lunch was served by Springer. The members requested to hold the meeting at another venue. It is proposed hereby to hold a one day meeting of all the Editorial Board Members including Associate Editors and Advisors and high officials of the ASI totalling approximately 40 at Lucknow. A rough expenditure of approximately Rs 8 lacs to the IJoS account will occur. The proposed date of the meeting is on equinox day ie Saturday the 23rd September 2023
The ASI President is requested to sanction this proposal.
4.12 The meeting ended in all cordiality with vote of thanks.