Indian COVID-19 Preprints Submissions in bioRxiv and medRxiv Preprint Servers

This research aimed at determining the growth of deposition of preprints on servers by Indian researchers during COVID-19 pandemic. In the pre-pandemic period, the dominant server was arXiv upon which research from physics and other related domains have been the most predominant depositors. When the pandemic erupted and the need to share research findings became imperative, many previously dormant preprint servers received vibrant activations from several scientists across the globe. This is with the intention of bridging the gap between delays inherent in reviewing process and the dire need to share information for finding everlasting solutions to the raging pandemic. Many researchers, institutions, countries, etc. have contributed in this regard. The study used quantitative method and iSearch Portfolio expert-curated source for publications and preprints related to either COVID-19 or the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 developed and maintained by National Institute of Health (NIH), US iSearch COVID-19 Portfolio. The study examined the Indian COVID-19 preprints deposited in bioRxiv and medRxiv preprint servers. The findings indicated that, Indian researchers have posted their papers in large numbers in bioRxiv and medRxiv servers with the medRxiv having the highest preprints (417, 40.44%) in 2020 against its counterpart bioRxiv (118, 10.96%) in the same year. Similarly, infectious diseases (except HIV/AIDS) (311) had the highest recurrence of the preprints submitted for deposition in servers. This is followed by epidemiology (263), public and global health (122), bioinformatics (59), among others. There is high collaboration among researchers who deposited their preprints in these servers where about 257 (24.93%) preprints were co-authored by 11+ authors followed by 3-authored and 4-authored with 124 preprints respectively (together accounts for 24.06%) and 2-authroed (114 (11.04%) preprints) respectively in a diminishing manner. The study concluded that, Indian researchers are actively participating in depositing preprints in servers notably bioRxiv and medRxiv.