Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati University is committed to academic integrity in teaching and research. All university members (students, teaching staff, and non-teaching staff) are responsible for maintaining academic integrity and research ethics.

1. Academic Integrity

Academic integrity refers to intellectual honesty in proposing, performing, and reporting activities that lead to the creation of intellectual property.

  • Creating and expressing one's own ideas with originality in academics and research.
  • Acknowledging all sources of information.
  • Completing assignments or research work independently or acknowledging collaborations.
  • Accurately reporting results while conducting research or laboratory work.

This policy applies to all teaching staff, non-teaching staff, and students of the university.

2. Types of Academic Misconduct

2.1 Cheating

Using unauthorized materials or assistance to demonstrate academic performance fraudulently. Examples include copying answers, using unauthorized devices, accessing examination papers without permission, or false/proxy attendance.

2.2 Unauthorized Sharing of Work

Providing unauthorized assistance to another student, allowing copying of work, sharing exam materials before scheduled examinations, or posting academic work online.

2.3 Theft or Tampering

Altering university records, grades, assignments, or documents without authorization, forging records, hacking systems, or submitting altered transcripts.

2.4 Non-compliance with University Policies

Violation of policies related to use of humans, animal care, biohazards and chemical or radioactive substances.

2.5 Unauthorized Collaborations

Any national or international collaboration must receive prior permission from university authorities.

2.6 Plagiarism

The practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and presenting them as one's own.

3. Preventing Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a serious issue in higher educational institutions. This policy applies to students, scholars, scientists, project employees, teachers, and staff.

Reference: UGC Notification - Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions Regulations, 23 July 2018.

3.1 Plagiarism Includes

  • Using exact words without quotation marks or citation.
  • Using someone else's ideas without citation.
  • Rearranging words from a source without citation.

3.2 Types of Plagiarism

  • Complete Plagiarism: Entire work copied from other sources.
  • Copy and Paste: Direct copying from electronic resources.
  • Word Switch: Changing a few words from another work without proper citation.
  • Self-Plagiarism: Reusing previously published work without referencing it.

3.4 Detection, Reporting, and Handling of Plagiarism

Suspected plagiarism cases must be reported to the Departmental Academic Integrity Panel (DAIP). The DAIP investigates and submits recommendations to the Institutional Academic Integrity Panel (IAIP).

Penalties for Plagiarism in Thesis / Dissertation

  • Level 0: Similarity up to 10% - Minor similarity, no penalty.
  • Level 1: 10%-40% - Revised script submission within 6 months.
  • Level 2: 40%-60% - Debarred from resubmission for 1 year.
  • Level 3: Above 60% - Registration for the programme cancelled.