Serials are print or non-print publications issued in parts, usually bearing issue numbers and/or dates. A serial is expected to continue indefinitely. Serials include magazines, newspapers, annuals (such as reports, yearbooks, and directories), journals, memoirs, proceedings, transactions of societies, and monographic series .

The ISSN is the International Standard Serial Number, which allows the identification of serial publications. It’s a standard numeric code made up of 8 digits whose last digit is a control character that may be the letter “X”.

The ISSN distinguishes a particular serial from others. The ISSN also helps library patrons, libraries, and others who handle large numbers of serials to find and identify titles in automated systems more quickly and easily.

Unlike the ISBN, which contains country and publisher prefixes, the ISSN contains no inherent meaning.

ISSN is assigned by a network of over 89 centers worldwide coordinated by the ISSN International Centre located in Paris. ISSN is assigned to serials published in India by the NSL being National Centre for ISSN. Serials published outside of India are assigned ISSN by the national center of their country of publication, or, in the case of countries lacking a national center, by the ISSN International Centre. Information about the ISSN network and ISSN centers worldwide can be found on the ISSN International Centre's home page.

Serials often undergo changes (of publisher, frequency, format, edition, country of origin), which do not affect the ISSN. However, if the title changes significantly, a new ISSN must be assigned.

Publishers should complete an application form and send it to the Centre together with a representation of the serial (either a sample issue, or print ready copy, publisher information, and any other pages giving information about the serial.

There is no charge for the assignment of the ISSN, or for the use of an ISSN once assigned. 

No. ISSN is assigned to the entire serial and stays the same from issue to issue unless you change the title of your serial.

Title changes are costly for libraries and can be costly to publishers as well. If there is a change in the title, one needs to apply for a new ISSN at least a month in advance.

That depends. For most serials one ISSN for each title under which it has been published is sufficient. But, if your serial is published in different language, regional, or physical editions (e.g., print, electronic), you will probably require a separate ISSN for each edition.

The preferred location for printing the ISSN on a printed serial is on the upper right-hand corner of the cover. Other good locations are the masthead area, the copyright page, or in the publishing statement where information about the publisher, frequency, and other publication facts are given. On a non-print serial, the ISSN should be printed, if possible, on an internal source, such as on a title screen or home page. Other suggested locations on non-print serials are on external sources such as microfiche headers, cassette or disc labels, or other containers. If a publication has both an ISSN and an ISBN, each should be printed. If a publication is in a series which has its own ISSN, both ISSN should be printed, accompanied by the title to which it pertains.

No. The ISSN office only needs to see one published issue either at the time of registration, or after publication, for ISSN issued prior to the publication of the first issue of a serial.

ISBN or International Standard Book Number is the book counterpart to the ISSN. It is a national and international standard identification number for uniquely identifying books, i.e., publications that are not intended to continue indefinitely.

Yes. This situation occurs most commonly with books in a series and with annuals or biennials. The ISBN identifies the individual book in a series or a specific year for an annual or biennial. The ISSN identifies the ongoing series, or the ongoing annual or biennial serial.

The ISSN is used in several bar codes as the title identifier portion of the code. One such code, the SISAC bar code symbol, can be found on scholarly, technical, medical and other subscription-based serials. The SISAC symbol is used by libraries and library-affiliated organizations. The symbol can also represent articles within journals and is used by document delivery services. The other major bar code that uses the ISSN is the EAN (International Article Number).

1. Any new print or electronic journal whose first issue is ready for publication or already published.
2. An existing serial publication which does not have ISSN.
3. Changed serial title(s) whose old titles had already an ISSN.

One can obtain ISSN by applying online mode only, apply online after submission of the application take a print out of the submitted application and send it through post along with a specimen copy of the serial  in case of print version or a copy of homepage in case of online version to Head, National Science Library, National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR), 14 - Satsang Vihar Marg, New Delhi -110067. Contact No. 011-26863759

ISSN Registration Certificate is issued only to the ISSN allotted publications by the National ISSN Centre, India. To obtain the ISSN Registration Certificate, kindly fill the application form for ISSN Registration Certificate available online at http://nsl.niscpr.res.in/ISSNPROCESS/ISSN-Certificate-Form-latest.pdf and make a payment as given on the application form. Further, the applicant need to send the signed-in hard copy of the application form to the address mentioned on the application form via post. It is also requested to send the scanned copy of signed-in application form at issn.india@niscpr.res.in.