• Network Meta-analysis batches start on the 1st of every month, and students can register anytime before the batch begins.
  Each batch includes 6-8 students working together as a team.
• TGRP provides complete mentorship, covering topic selection and refinement, data screening, data collection, literature search guidance, manuscript writing, editing, and journal submission support. Every group aims to complete a fully written Network Meta-analysis article ready for submission.
• So far, TGRP has guided 150+ publications across various medical specialties.
• The Network Meta-analysis process at TGRP consists of two phases:

1. Research Mentorship Phase (6-10 weeks): Topic selection, data screening, data extraction, data analysis, statistical analysis, literature review, manuscript drafting and editing — ending with a complete article ready for submission.
2. Publication Phase (1–12 months, optional): Journal selection, submission, handling reviewer comments, revisions, and resubmissions — with full TGRP support if students remain active.

• Who can join? All medical students, graduates, interns, and physicians can join. Even complete beginners with no prior research experience are welcome.
• How do I know about upcoming batches? Monthly announcements are shared on WhatsApp, Instagram, and the TGRP website, with details of topics and specialities.
• Which specialities are offered? Most projects are in Internal Medicine and its subspecialties (Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Neurology, Respiratory, Hematology-Oncology), as well as Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Surgery.
  Specialities like Orthopedics, Radiology, and Dermatology are offered less frequently.
• How can I register? You can check the fee structure and register directly through this page: Fee Structure. You may also choose combo plans (10–15% discount) that include Meta-analysis with other research types. Make sure to include the email address and contact number of the student at the time of registration.

• You will receive two emails:
  1. A payment confirmation from Stripe or Razorpay
     (TGRP does not send a separate payment receipt).
  2. An email with your login details for the TGRP App.
• Once you log in to the app, a Student Supervisor will message you with the list of available research groups for the upcoming batch.
• You simply need to choose your preferred group by replying to that message.
• After that, you will be added to your research group on the app.
  This usually takes 1–2 working days.
• If you are not added to a group within 2 days, please contact us on WhatsApp or email, and we will help you immediately.
• Make sure to turn on the notifications for the TGRP app, so that you can receive updates from research group and mentors.
• Project Allocation & Non-Transfer Policy: Once the research project starts, project transfer or reassignment is not permitted for reasons including group dissatisfaction, slow progress, or journal rejections, etc.

• After you are added to the group, you wait until the 1st of the next month, when the research work officially begins.
• Each project requires 6-8 students. If the group is incomplete, you may be shifted to another suitable group.

Research Mentorship Phase (6-10 weeks)

• Once the group is finalised, students introduce themselves and the research topic is confirmed.
• Recorded and live classes are held at the convenience of students.
• Students are expected to commit 1 hour everyday.
• The meta-analysis research goes through these steps:
  1. Topic Finalization & PROSPERO Registration (Includes topic selection and protocol registration)
  2. Training & Search Strategy Development (Statistics refresher, database search, and search query formulation)
  3. Screening of Studies (Title & Abstract [TiAb] screening, full-text screening, and conflict resolution)
  4. Data Extraction & Risk of Bias Assessment (Includes RoB tool selection, RoB assessment, and data cleaning)
  5. Data Analysis & Evidence Synthesis
     (Meta-analysis model selection, heterogeneity assessment, publication bias, and GRADE certainty)
  6. Reporting & Manuscript Preparation
     (PRISMA 2020 checklist, flow diagram, manuscript drafting, and internal peer review)
  7. Journal Selection (Formatting and journal selection)
• Each step is supported by structured mentorship through live sessions, recorded modules, and group discussions on the TGRP App.
• Tasks are divided among students with clear deadlines, and mentors respond daily during this phase.
• By the end of the mentorship phase, the group completes a full Network Meta-analysis article ready for journal submission. This marks the end of the course component and TGRP’s core deliverables.
• At this stage, detailed instructional videos for journal selection, submission process, and addressing peer-reviewer comments are provided to the students.

Publication Phase (Optional | 1–18 months, average 6-8 months)

• The publication phase is optional and not included in the mentorship deliverables.
• Publication is not guaranteed, as it depends on factors such as the journal review process, editorial discretion, external timelines, and the quality of revisions made by the authors.
• The corresponding author is responsible for submitting the article to the journal, using the guidance provided during the mentorship.
• If students wish to proceed with publication, TGRP provides additional support upon request. During this stage, the team typically responds in the group 1–2 times per week, as journal correspondence and peer-review processes require adequate time for analysis before meaningful updates can be shared. Answering the journal or peer review queries, editing the article and resubmission after answering the queries can take around 1 week in off-season and around 2 weeks in peak season (March-September). 
• Students are expected to remain patient, proactive, responsive, and actively involved in the submission and revision process until publication.
• TGRP does not charge any additional fees for mentorship support during the publication phase. However, journal-related costs—including submission fees, editing fees, and publication fees—are the responsibility of the students collectively and must be paid directly to the journal. TGRP does not manage or interfere with these journal payment processes.

Important Note About TGRP’s Role

• TGRP is a research mentorship platform.
• Our primary responsibility is the completion of the research mentorship phase: topic selection, data collection, statistics, and completing the manuscript. Once the article is written, the core task of TGRP ends.
• Publication is not guaranteed, as it depends on journals and students’ efforts.
• If students wish to publish, TGRP provides full support for journal selection, submission, and reviewer responses.
• TGRP students have published 160+ research articles (as of 1st November). Over the last three years, 98% of TGRP groups have successfully completed the Research Phase, and 96% have gone on to publish their work.The remaining groups could not complete publication only due to lack of response from students, not due to issues with the research process or mentorship.

• Joining a research batch does not guarantee authorship. Students must meet authorship criteria and complete the required tasks.
• Authorship order is dynamic and may change if a student misses deadlines, does not complete tasks, or does not cooperate.
• Authorship is strictly on the basis of scoring criteria only. 
• Students cannot add additional authors themselves, except in rare circumstances wherein a senior renowned author helped review the manuscript and can be added as author.
• Authorship cannot be decided beforehand; it depends entirely on actual contribution.
• TGRP mentors are not authors, except in rare cases where a qualified specialist may be added as the last author.
• Authorship follows strict ICMJE criteria, which require ALL four conditions to be fulfilled:
  1. Substantial contribution to the research (design, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation).
  2. Drafting the article or revising it critically.
  3. Final approval of the version to be submitted.
  4. Accountability for the accuracy and integrity of the work. 
• At TGRP, these translate to: Completing data collection, article writing, reviewing and approving the final manuscript, and taking responsibility for your contribution.
• Original Research (OR): Students must complete both data collection and article writing. Authorship is based on a scoring criteria that evaluates timely completion of tasks, quality of work like proper use of references and inclusion of all pointers, and amount of work done. Higher scores lead to higher authorship positions.
• Narrative Review (NR): Authorship depends completely on the work contributed. Tasks are allotted equally to all students.
• Network meta-analysis (NMA): Authorship is based on a detailed scoring system explained at the start of the batch. Students must participate in at least 20% of the data collection to be considered eligible for authorship. Final authorship order depends on the cumulative score.
• Letter to Editor (LTE): The student is the solo author.

• Students must stay active in the group every day during the research phase.
• If a student does not complete a task, TGRP waits 3 days after the deadline. No repeated reminders are sent.
• After 3 days, the task is reassigned and the student receives a minimal score.
• A minimum score is required to qualify for authorship.
• During the publication phase, if a student does not respond for 3 days and causes delays, they may be removed from authorship and moved to the Acknowledgements section.
• Staying active is the student’s responsibility. TGRP will not repeatedly message students on WhatsApp or email.

• Students are expected to maintain professional, respectful, and ethical conduct within TGRP research groups at all times.
• Any form of unprofessional or disruptive behavior, including but not limited to blaming TGRP mentors or members, making false or inappropriate allegations, soliciting other group members for campaign or defamation or refunds or anything else against TGRP, interfering with journal selection, submission, or publication, or otherwise hindering the progress of the manuscript, will not be tolerated.
• If a student’s conduct is determined to be obstructive or detrimental to the progress of the research or publication process, TGRP reserves the right to remove the student from active participation in the research group in order to protect the integrity and timely completion of the article.
• In such cases, the student’s authorship position may be revised. If the student has fulfilled the ICMJE authorship criteria, their name will typically be moved to the last author position, as they will not be participating in the submission, revision, or publication process alongside the remaining authors.
• At the discretion of the remaining authors, and in accordance with ICMJE guidelines, the student’s name may be removed entirely from the author list and instead included in the Acknowledgements section, if their contribution is deemed insufficient to justify authorship.
• Once removed from the group, the student will have no role in journal communication, revisions, resubmissions, or publication-related decisions.
• No refund shall be provided in such cases, as full educational materials, mentorship, and research guidance would have already been delivered during the Research Phase.

• The publication phase begins after the research manuscript is completed.
• Publication is primarily the student’s responsibility, and TGRP provides full support throughout this stage.
• Students must remain active and responsive in the group until the article is published.
• TGRP does not guarantee publication, as final decisions depend on external factors such as journal policies, peer-review outcomes, and student responsiveness.
• TGRP follows a transparent journal selection pathway:
  • First submission to PubMed-indexed journals with no fees
  • If not accepted, submission to PubMed-indexed journals with fees
  • If still not accepted, shifting to Scopus, DOAJ, or EMBASE indexed journals based on student preference
• Publication fees are not included in the course fee. We suggest affordable journals (USD 200–300 total), which are divided among the 4–6 authors—usually USD 30–50 per student.
• Publication timelines vary from 2 months to 1 year, depending on the journal’s review process.
• TGRP has no connections or agreements with any journal. We strictly avoid predatory journals, and students are never forced to submit to any particular journal or to pay fees. All journal decisions are made collaboratively, based on indexation, affordability, and student preferences.

• Once a batch begins on the 1st of the month, no refunds will be issued under any circumstance.
• Once a student is added to a research batch and work has started, a refund cannot be claimed.
• Refunds are not provided for reasons such as:
  • Inability to participate
  • Exams or busy schedule
  • Other students not responding
  • Article not getting published
  • Slow journal timelines
  • Missing personal deadlines (e.g., applications)
• TGRP is a research mentorship platform. TGRP Research courses are aimed at the completion of the Research Phase, which ends when the manuscript is completed and ready for journal submission. Publication is not guaranteed, as it depends on journal decisions and student responsiveness. 
• If a student completes the Research Phase but chooses not to publish, no refund is applicable. This is because the entire course materials are provided to the students during the Research Phase.
• Requests for project change or reassignment after the project starts, are not permitted and do not qualify for a refund.
• Refunds are issued only if TGRP is unable to place a student in any research group due to factors such as insufficient enrollment in the selected specialty (e.g., Orthopedics), and the student does not wish to join an alternative available specialty (e.g., Surgery or Internal Medicine). (1) This exception does not apply to Letter to the Editor (LTE) projects, as students independently choose their specialty and topic. (2) Refunds will also not be granted if a student changes their specialty preference after registration (e.g., initially opting for Internal Medicine and later requesting a switch to Orthopedics).

• TGRP offers multiple combo research courses for students who want to complete more than one type of study.
• For Mixed Combo 4 (LTE + OR + NR + NMA): All research types can be started in the same month since they are different study designs.

• This is a completely virtual program; no college or hospital permission is required.
• Data is collected virtually. Ethics approval is not required as no human subjects are directly involved.
• All research batches receive equal support and mentorship; no group is given preference.
• Authorship cannot be pre-decided and depends solely on each student’s contribution.
• Students must remain active and responsive; inactivity can lead to loss of authorship.
• TGRP does not give repeated reminders; students must check the group and complete tasks on time.
• Students who do not complete tasks may be removed from authorship and shifted to acknowledgements.
• Students cannot change batches or topics once added, and cannot shift to the next month if they miss the batch.
• Publication fees are not included in course fees and are shared among authors.
• TGRP does not guarantee publication or PubMed-indexed acceptance.
• Journal selection cannot be confirmed in advance; it is finalised within the group.
• Journal acceptance and timelines are beyond TGRP’s control.
• Publication may take 2 months to 1 year depending on journal review.
• Students may present their research in conferences; please inform your research group first.
• Certificates are not provided; the publication itself serves as proof of participation.

• Join early — ideally 1 year before your deadline.
• Stay active, respond quickly, and complete tasks on time.
• Maintain a positive, collaborative attitude in the group.
• Trust the mentors and follow their guidance.
• Don’t miss deadlines — delays affect the entire team.
• Stay consistent during the publication phase (check the group daily).
• Ask questions whenever unsure; avoid assumptions.
• Be patient — journal timelines are slow and external.
• Stay committed to the project until publication.