HPUJ
About this journal
Aims and scope
The Himachal Pradesh University Journal publishes high-quality research across multiple disciplines within humanities and social sciences. The journal serves as a premier platform for academia, scholars, researchers, and analysts to disseminate original research findings, theoretical contributions, and innovative methodological approaches that advance knowledge in their respective fields.
Our mission is to foster intellectual discourse, encourage multidisciplinary cooperation, and enhance the global corpus of knowledge while upholding the utmost standards of academic rigour and ethical publishing procedures.
Our Primary Objectives
To provide a rigorous peer-review process that ensures the publication of original, significant, and methodologically sound research that contributes meaningfully to academic discourse and practical applications in humanities and social sciences.
Scope of Publication
The journal welcomes submissions that demonstrate theoretical rigor, substantive knowledge, and policy relevance. We particularly encourage articles that:
- Analyse contemporary problems and issues from innovative theoretical perspectives
- Examine established theories against new empirical data or emerging contexts
- Provide comprehensive historical treatments of relevant problems and topics
- Deal with interesting comparative analyses across different regions, cultures, or time periods
- Present interdisciplinary approaches to complex social phenomena
- Bridge the gap between academic research and practical policy applications
Research Areas and Disciplines
Social Sciences
Philosophy, Sociology, Anthropology, Geography, Political Science, Economics, Psychology, and Social Work research focusing on contemporary social issues, cultural dynamics, human behaviour.
Humanities
Literature, Philosophy, History, Linguistics, Cultural Studies, Religious Studies, and Art History with emphasis on critical analysis and cultural interpretation.
Education
Educational research, pedagogy, curriculum development, educational psychology, and policy studies that contribute to improving educational practices and outcomes.
Law and Governance
Legal studies, public administration, policy analysis, governance structures, and constitutional studies with particular focus on Indian and comparative contexts.
Regional Studies
Research focusing on Himalayan region, South Asian studies, and comparative regional analysis with emphasis on local contexts and global connections. HPUJ also considers research focusing on history, culture, people and society of Himalayan region.
Environmental Studies
Environmental sociology, ecological anthropology, environmental policy, and sustainability studies with interdisciplinary approaches to environmental challenges.
Peer Review Policy
All the research papers/articles contributed to HPUJ have to undergo a rigorous peer review process which involves initial screening by the editorial board, followed by blind double-peer review.
Journal metrics
The Himachal Pradesh University Journal maintains high academic standards and has established itself as a reputable publication in humanities and social sciences research.
Citation Analysis
HPUJ has registered a consistent growth over a decade in citations with its research papers/articles/reviews cited in different leading journals in humanities and social sciences.
Indexing Status
The journal is indexed with ICSSR and has applied for the UGC-CARE List etc.
Publication Performance
Our journal demonstrates consistent publication quality with regular bi-annual issues. The average time from submission to first decision is 45 to 60 days, ensuring timely feedback to authors while maintaining rigorous peer review standards.
International Reach
The journal has gained international recognition with submissions and citations from different countries. Our open access policy has significantly contributed to global visibility and impact.
Key Performance Indicators
- Submission Growth: 35% increase in submissions over the past 3 years
- International Authors: 40% of published articles are from international contributors
- Download Statistics: Over 50,000 article downloads annually
- Social Media Engagement: Growing presence across academic social platforms
Editorial board
Our editorial board comprises distinguished scholars and researchers from leading universities and institutions worldwide.
Editor-in-Chief
Prof. Harish K. Thakur
Department of Political Science,, Himachal Pradesh University
Shimla- 171005
Associate Editors
- Dr. Joginder Singh Saklani - Department of Political Science, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla-171005
- Dr. Baldev Singh Negi - Department of Interdisciplinary Studies-IIHS, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla-171005
Editorial Advisory Board
The journal benefits from the expertise of an international advisory board comprising scholars from universities in India, UK, USA, Canada, and Australia.
Abstracting and indexing
The Himachal Pradesh University Journal is abstracted and indexed in the following databases:
- UGC-CARE List - University Grants Commission approved journal
- Indian Citation Index (ICI) - National indexing database
- Google Scholar - Academic search engine
- CrossRef - Digital Object Identifier (DOI) registration
- Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) - Quality controlled open access journals
- Academic Keys - Academic resource database
- ResearchGate - Scientific social networking platform
Submission to Additional Databases
The journal is currently under review for inclusion in Scopus and Web of Science databases.
Open access
The Himachal Pradesh University Journal is committed to open access publishing, making research freely available to the global academic community.
Open Access Policy
All articles published in this journal are immediately available online without any subscription or access fees. This ensures maximum visibility and impact for published research.
Creative Commons License
Articles are published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), allowing readers to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material
- Use for any purpose, even commercially
Author Rights
Authors retain copyright of their work while granting the journal right of first publication.
Society information
The Himachal Pradesh University Journal is published by the Himachal Pradesh University in collaboration with the Academic Research Society.
About Himachal Pradesh University
Established in 1970, Himachal Pradesh University is a premier institution of higher education in Northern India, known for its excellence in teaching and research across multiple disciplines.
Mission
To promote quality research and academic excellence in humanities and social sciences while fostering intellectual discourse and knowledge dissemination.
Contact Information
Himachal Pradesh University
Summer Hill, Shimla - 171005
Himachal Pradesh, India
Email: admin@hpuj.in
Publication details
| Journal Title | Himachal Pradesh University Journal |
|---|---|
| Subtitle | Humanities and Social Sciences |
| ISSN (Print) | 2277-1425 |
| e-ISSN (Online) | 2277-1433 |
| Publication Frequency | Bi-annual (June & December) |
| Publisher | Himachal Pradesh University |
| Publication Office | Summer Hill, Shimla, HP 171005, India |
| Language | English |
| First Published | 2016 |