India International WASH Conference 2026

 Guidelines for Authors & Presenters

 1. Submission & Review Process

• Preliminary Screening: All submitted abstracts and full papers undergo initial administrative screening by a dedicated Desk Review Committee (comprising experts from SPM-NIWAS and DDWS) to verify format compliance, clarity of English, and theme relevance.

• Peer-Review Evaluation: Qualified submissions are forwarded to an independent Expert Evaluation Committee. Each abstract and paper is evaluated independently by two subject experts based on originality, methodological rigor, technical soundness, scalability, and clarity. In cases of conflicting evaluations, papers may be referred to a third expert reviewer.

• Tie-Breaking Criteria: In the event that two or more abstract submissions achieve identical ranking scores, the author (corresponding author) with the earliest date of birth will be selected.

 2. Originality and Plagiarism Policy

• All submitted full papers must represent completely original work that has not been previously published or simultaneously submitted elsewhere.

• Authors must provide a mandatory self-declaration confirming the originality of their work.

• All submissions will be rigorously vetted via recognized anti-plagiarism software. The permissible similarity index is strictly limited to a maximum of 25 percent. Papers exceeding this threshold or failing formatting requirements will be rejected.

• A formal copyright and plagiarism check summary must be cleared before presentation.

3. Authorship and Presentation Rules

• An individual may be listed as an author or co-author on multiple papers.

• However, an individual is permitted to present only one paper during the conference. If multiple papers from the same author group are accepted, distinct co-authors must be registered to present them in their respective sessions.

• Only the registered Corresponding Author (the individual who applied for the presentation) shall be authorized to present, unless alternative co-author presentation protocols are triggered.

 4. Presentation Format

• Allotted Time: Each presenter (online or offline) is strictly allotted 8 minutes for their presentation, followed immediately by a 2-minute interaction session with the audience and Session Chairs.

• Presenters must use the official, standardized conference presentation template shared in advance by the Institute. Slides must be submitted within the communicated deadline.

 5. Logistics, Venue, and Travel Allocation

• Authors must indicate their preferred presentation mode (online/offline) and venue preference (Delhi, Kolkata, or no preference) during final paper submission. Final allocation rests with the Institute and Department based on session logistics.

• Important Financial Notice: All travel and accommodation expenses for attending the conference must be borne entirely by the participants themselves. Neither DDWS nor SPM-NIWAS will provide any Travel Allowance (TA), Daily Allowance (DA), or hospitality expenses for participation.

Conference Proceedings

Selected high-quality papers presented at the conference will be compiled into the formal Conference Proceedings. Please note that inclusion in the final publication is subject to editorial review and compliance with publication standards; hence, presentation at the event does not automatically guarantee publication.