Retracted Data Science Publications in India: A Bibliometric Study (2010-2024)

Abstract

The exponential growth of data science research has raised increasing concerns about the integrity and reliability of published findings. This study investigates the nature and trends of retracted publications authored by Indian scholars in the field of data science between 2010 and 2024. Data were obtained from the Retraction Watch Database (RWD) by applying filters for “India,” “retracted status,” and the period “2010-2024.” Analytical processing was conducted using Microsoft Excel to examine publication patterns, document types, publishers, and institutional affiliations. A total of 920 retracted papers were identified, with the highest number observed in 2022 (148 Articles), indicating a sharp escalation in research misconduct in recent years. Research articles accounted for 92.07% of all retractions, followed by conference papers (4.67%) and review articles (1.63%). The majority of cases were full retractions (98.04%), primarily associated with publishers such as IOS Press, Hindawi, and Springer Nature. Institutionally, Anna University, Chennai (15 articles) and Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Wardha (9 articles) recorded the most retractions. These findings highlight the urgent need to reinforce research ethics, strengthen editorial oversight, and promote awareness of publication integrity in the domain of data science.

Keywords: Bibliometrics; Data Science; Research Integrity; Retracted Publication; Retraction; Watch; Scientific Misconduct