Student Exposes Publication fraud by Ashoka Business School in Affiliation with Savitribai Phule Pune University

Pune/Ujjain, July 24, 2025 - A concerning academic malpractice has come to light involving Ashoka Business School (ABS), Pune, in affiliation with Savitribai Phule Pune University. A national-level conference titled "Industry 5.0: Transition Towards Sustainability" was organized by ABS on May 22, 2024, during which participants, including scholars and students from across India, were promised publication of their research papers in the Madhya Pradesh Journal of Social Sciences (MPJSS)-a prestigious, biannual peer-reviewed journal published by the M.P. Institute of Social Science Research, Ujjain.

Following the submission of the final manuscript and a mandatory publication fee of Rs. 3,500, ABS staff confirmed that the paper was submitted and subsequently published in Vol. 29 No. 2(ii), December 2024 of the journal. A publication certificate bearing the journal's name was also shared with the author as confirmation.

However, when the author directly contacted the editorial office of the Madhya Pradesh Journal of Social Sciences, the response was shocking-the journal's editorial team confirmed that no such paper was received or published, and that the December 2024 issue was still under process. The certificate provided by ABS was deemed fraudulent, exposing a disturbing academic deception.

Repeated attempts to seek clarification from ABS staff have been met with silence or empty reassurances, including unfulfilled promises of republishing the paper in an alternate journal. It has now been over six months, and neither has the paper been published nor the publication fee refunded.

"This is a clear example of academic fraud where colleges exploit researchers by collecting large sums in the name of 'indexed publications' and provide fake certificates," the affected researcher stated. "Institutions like Ashoka Business School should be held accountable for deceiving scholars, many of whom are students investing their hard-earned savings to meet publication requirements."

Such actions not only undermine the credibility of genuine academic journals and conferences but also disrupt the academic journey of students and researchers. The author urges regulatory bodies, including Savitribai Phule Pune University, UGC, and AICTE, to investigate and take strict disciplinary action against colleges engaging in such exploitative and unethical practices.

Students and researchers are strongly advised to verify all publication claims made by conference organizers and to contact the official editorial boards of journals before making any payments. Institutions found guilty of such frauds must be publicly named and legally pursued to maintain academic integrity in the country.

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This release was published on openPR.