About the Journal

About

PROCEEDINGS OF THE KERALA HISTORY CONGRESS (ISSN: 3049-0359]) is a Peer Reviewed Academic Journal published by the Kerala History Congress, a registered organisation comprising historians, history educators, and researchers across Kerala. The Congress functions as an independent academic body committed to the advancement of historical studies and related disciplines.

Language: The journal is bilingual publishing in English and Malayalam Languages.

Periodicity

Annual

Call for Articles

There is no fixed deadline for submissions to the regular issue. Authors may submit manuscripts at any time after the Call for Papers are notified preferably in July/August each year. Articles will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. For special issues, the submission date and thematic focus will be displayed on the website. Submissions must be made exclusively through the OJS platform, and the submission window will remain open as per notified.

Guidelines for Authors

Authors are advised to adhere strictly to the following submission protocols:

Submission Process

All manuscripts must be submitted via the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform managed by the Kerala History Congress.

Formatting Requirements

For English manuscripts: Submissions should be in Microsoft Word format, accompanied by an anonymised (blinded) version in both PDF and Word formats. Filenames should be appropriately labelled as article text and blind article.

For Malayalam manuscripts: Submissions should be prepared in Adobe PageMaker format and must follow specific typesetting instructions provided by the editorial team. Additional materials may be requested upon acceptance.

Authors should upload a blinded manuscript of their manuscripts in PDF format too. All file names should be titled as article text and blind article respectively.

The length of the Manuscript can be from 5000 words and not beyond 10000 words. If it goes beyond 10000, the editorial board of the Congress has the right to decide depending on the manuscripts.

Fonts of the Manuscripts: The font of manuscripts in English should be in Times New Roman and manuscripts in Malayalam should be in ML-Revathi. We are not encouraging transliteration or uniform fonts.

Format of the manuscripts:

The manuscripts consist of the following framework:

1. MS Word file of the Article with file name full text article.

File number 1 includes:

1. Title of the Article in English
2. Name of the author(s) in English
3. Abstract in 200 words (minimum) in English
4. Five Keywords in English
5. The text should consist of an introduction followed by contents and conclusion.
6. Documentation should be in the form of footnotes (Citations in Chicago Style format).
7. Name of the first author with designation. It should follow institutional / address for communication, country name, pin code, number to contact with country code, email id, ORCID. All these details should be aligned right.
8. The same format should be followed in case of second and third authors. Each author's entry is separated with the symbol "&". (right alignment)
9. In case of manuscript with chart, it should be part of the content. The maximum size of the chart should be 10x17cm.
10. Multicolours are not allowed except black and white.
11. Images are not encouraged due to copyright issues.
12. Font size: title in 14, citations and references in 10, and the rest in 11 font size.
13. The authors who submit their articles in Malayalam should also add title, author's name, author's address with phone number and email id, ORCID, keywords, abstract and reference in English too.

or

Adobe Pagemaker file of the article with file name full text article in the case of Articles in Malayalam

File number 1 includes:

1. Title of the Article in English
2. Name of the author(s) in English
3. Abstract in 200 words (minimum) in English
4. Five Keywords in English
5. Footnotes in Chicago Style in English
6. Name of the first author with designation. It should follow institutional / address for communication, country name, pin code, number to contact with country code, email id, ORCID. All these details should be aligned right. (in English)
7. The same format should be followed in case of second and third authors. Each author's entry is separated with the symbol "&". (right alignment) (in English)
8. Title of the Article in Malayalam
9. Name of the author(s) in Malayalam
10. Abstract in 200 words (minimum) in Malayalam
11. Five Keywords in Malayalam
12. The text should consist of an introduction followed by contents and conclusion. (in Malayalam)
13. Documentation should be in the form of footnotes (Citations in Chicago Style format).

 (in Malayalam)

1. Name of the first author with designation. It should follow institutional / address for communication, country name, pin code, number to contact with country code, email id, ORCID. All these details should be aligned right. (in Malayalam)
2. The same format should be followed in case of second and third authors. Each author's entry is separated with the symbol "&". (right alignment) (in Malayalam)
3. In case of manuscript with chart, it should be part of the content. The maximum size of the chart should be 10x17cm.
4. Multicolours are not allowed except black and white.
5. Images are not encouraged due to copyright issues.
6. Font size: title in 14, citations and references in 10, and the rest in 11 font size.
7. The authors who submit their articles in Malayalam should also add title, author's name, author's address with phone number and email id, ORCID, keywords, abstract and reference in English too.

 

1. The MS Word file of the Article with file name full text blind article (in the case of articles in English),
2. The PDF file of the Article with file name full text blind article (in the case of articles in English and Malayalam languages) ,File number 2 and 3 includes

full text blind article should be submitted without entries in the fields b, h and i (authors name and address) (in the articles in English) and/or without entries in the fields  b, f, g, i, o and p (in the articles in Malayalam) for facilitating blind review

1. Letter of approval/affidavit from the co-author should be attached with the article, if applicable
2. All entries in the OJS platform should be in English fonts and language.
3. Submit your article through our OJS platform:

• One time registration: https://ojs.keralahistorycongress.org/index.php/journal/user/register
• Submit your manuscript using Login credentials: https://ojs.keralahistorycongress.org/index.php/TenthSession/login

Authorship

Authorship acknowledges the intellectual contribution of an individual to a scholarly work and implies accountability for its content. Authorship may be claimed by those who have substantively contributed to the intellectual architecture of the study. All authors bear full responsibility for the contents and viewpoints expressed in the manuscript.

The first author shall be the individual who has made the most significant contribution to the work, particularly in drafting the manuscript. The order of authorship should reflect the magnitude of each individual's contribution. The first author must assume full responsibility for the integrity of the article and shall serve as the primary point of correspondence. A declaration of approval/affidavit by the lead author must accompany the submission.

Co-author(s) must also certify their substantial intellectual engagement with the work. A separate declaration/affidavit from each co-author must be submitted along with the manuscript.

The first and second authors must affirm that the manuscript represents original research undertaken by the authors and that its content has not been published, either fully or partially, elsewhere.

Post-submission alterations to the authorship order or inclusion/exclusion of author names shall not be permitted.

Retractions

Retractions shall be issued in cases where significant violations such as plagiarism, image or data manipulation, ethical breaches, duplicate publication, or non-compliance with editorial standards are identified. The decision to retract shall be undertaken jointly by the editorial board and the peer-reviewers of the Proceedings of the Kerala History Congress. In exceptional circumstances involving legal transgressions, the Kerala History Congress reserves the right to remove the article entirely.

Corrections

Corrections will be published when warranted. In such instances, the editorial board will endeavour to contact the original author(s) and ensure that corrections are made in a timely manner.

Erratum

An erratum shall be issued if the author notifies the journal of the error within 45 days of publication.

Addenda

Kerala History Congress will issue addenda to enhance the reader’s understanding in cases where significant content was omitted by the author at the time of submission.

Statement of Peer Review Policies

Type of Peer Review(s)

The journal follows a double-blind peer review model .The journal employs both internal (editorial) and external peer reviews. The identity of reviewers remains confidential to uphold the ethical integrity and scholarly standards of the journal. Reviewers adhere strictly to the peer review guidelines prescribed by the Kerala History Congress.

Review Process

All manuscripts undergo initial plagiarism following the technical review of the Editors. Those which are not original, have serious flaws, or are outside the aims and scope of the journal, or not written as per the journal's guidelines shall be rejected at this stage. The subsequent and more rigorous review is undertaken by external referees. Based on their reports, the editorial board either recommends the article for publication or ensures that the author incorporates the necessary revisions as suggested by the reviewers.

Special cases

Editors are excluded from publication decisions when they are authors or have contributed to a manuscript. In such instances, the review process and publication decision will be overseen by an alternate Editor.

Communications with authors

At each stage of the review process, authors will receive reasoned and constructive feedback regarding the editorial decisions on their manuscript.

 Conflicts of interest

Assigned Associate Editors and reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest involving the manuscript under review, including competitive, collaborative, or other relevant associations with any authors, institutions, or sponsors. In such cases, they must inform the Editors and recuse themselves from the review process.

Confidentiality

All manuscripts received for review shall be treated as confidential. The privacy of both authors and reviewers involved in the peer-review process shall be strictly maintained.

Appeals

Appeals against editorial decisions must be submitted with a formal letter presenting detailed, point-by-point justification. Appeals are entertained only on the basis of (i) potential technical errors in the review, (ii) emergence of new data or information post-submission, and (iii) evidence indicating a possible conflict of interest among reviewers. Appeals must be lodged within 14 days of the editorial decision.

Only one appeal is permitted per manuscript. The Editor-in-Chief shall consult the editorial board and, where necessary, seek input from the Advisory Board. The Editor-in-Chief’s decision is final.

Appeal letters must be addressed to the Editor-in-Chief and sent to the editorial office (keralahc@gmail.com)

Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Submissions 

The Proceedings of the Kerala History Congress mandates explicit disclosure of any substantive engagement with artificial intelligence in the conception, composition, or refinement of manuscripts. AI must not be employed to fabricate, falsify, or distort evidence, nor to compromise the scholarly rigour of the work. Full accountability for the accuracy, authenticity, and intellectual integrity of the submission rests exclusively with the author. Failure to comply will result in immediate rejection of the manuscript and will be deemed a grave violation of academic ethics.

Statement of Publication Ethics

Editor in Chiefs Responsibilities

Exercise overall editorial oversight;

Serve as the primary liaison between the author/s and the Kerala History Congress;

Act as the final appellate authority on editorial matters.

Duties of Publication Desk

Comprising the Chief Editor, Editor, Associate Editor, and Publisher, the Publication Desk ensures:

Consider submission of articles accompanied by plagiarism checks;

Conduct Initial editorial technical review;

Receipt and documentation of peer-review reports from referees prior to final publication decisions.

Duties of the Editor

Compose editorial notes aligned with the thematic structure of each issue, articulating the journal’s intellectual stance;

Conduct initial evaluation of submitted manuscripts, ensuring objectivity and non-discrimination with regard to race, gender, religion, nationality, or ideological affiliation.

Duties of the Associate Editor

Safeguard the confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts;

Verify originality and ensure the absence of copyright violations;

Support the Editor in the initial review and selection process;

Forward referee-approved articles to the Publication Desk;

Communicate review feedback to authors;

Manage all correspondence with contributors, referees, and institutional stakeholders;

Act as Editor in instances of absence or incapacity.

Duties of Peer Reviewers

Evaluate manuscripts based on established academic standards;

Assess relevance, originality, research methodology, and contribution to the field;

Ensure clarity of language, syntax, and scholarly rigour;

Provide detailed commentary and constructive critique, including grammatical and structural observations.

Duties of the Publisher

The Secretary of the Kerala History Congress shall function as the ex-officio Publisher;

Allocate financial resources for all journal-related activities;

Facilitate internal audit and ensure fiscal transparency.

Revenue Sources

The journal operates on funds derived from membership contributions, institutional support, and occasional project-based grants sanctioned for academic development and publication purposes, plan and non-plan grants from relevant non-governmental or governmental bodies.

Advertising & Direct Marketing

All promotional activities are undertaken through the official channels of the Kerala History Congress or through collaborative efforts with academic institutions and public outreach initiatives.

Governing Body

The journal is administered by the Editorial Committee of the Kerala History Congress, duly elected by its General Body, which also advises on long-term policy and academic direction.

Panel of Expertise (Review and Refereeing)

The Editorial Board of the Proceedings of the Kerala History Congress maintains confidentiality regarding its panel of reviewers to safeguard against any potential pressures, conflicts of interest, or undue influence from prospective authors. However, disclosure may be made upon formal request by government or indexing agencies, as per the directive of the Executive Committee of the Kerala History Congress.

Copyright Terms

Copyright is held by the publisher. Authors bear full responsibility for the content and opinions expressed in their contributions.

Licensing Terms

The legal licence of the Proceedings of the Kerala History Congress rests with the Secretary, Kerala History Congress. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence.

Open Access Policy

All articles published by the Proceedings of the Kerala History Congress are made immediately and universally accessible under an open-access licence. This ensures: unrestricted, free access to the full text of all articles published in the journal; freedom to reuse published material in accordance with established research ethics, provided proper citation of the original publication is given; no prior permission is required to reuse any portion of an article, including figures and tables, subject to appropriate academic citation and ethical compliance.

Author Fees

No processing fees are levied on authors.

Preservation and Archiving Policy

The digital preservation of all content published in the Proceedings of the Kerala History Congress is undertaken by the Kerala History Congress, its parent body in its own digital space rented in the Amazon Cloud. An additional backup is concurrently maintained on Google Cloud to ensure long-term security and resilience.

Contact details of Publisher

The Secretary

Kerala History Congress

Room No.112, Department of History

University College, Thiruvananthapuram

Email: keralahc@gmail.com 

 Contact details of Editor

The Editor

Proceedings of the Kerala History Congress

Department of History

Farook College (Autonomous)

Email: editorpkhc@gmail.com