Common reasons for a very high score
- You submitted the same file twice, or a draft was checked earlier and stored in the institution's repository. The second check then matches the first almost entirely.
- A friend or senior's file using the same template or shared sections was stored earlier.
- Your own published paper overlaps heavily with the thesis chapter.
- Large sections were copied from sources without quotation or citation.
What usually happens next
Most institutions review high reports manually before any decision. For theses, the UGC 2018 regulations treat similarity above 60% (after exclusions) as the most serious level, with cancellation of registration as the prescribed penalty, but only after the institution's academic integrity panel has examined the case. For coursework, outcomes range from resubmission to a formal misconduct process depending on the university.
How to respond
- Ask for the full report with the source list.
- If the match is your own earlier submission, say so immediately and provide evidence (dates, submission receipts). Ask for the earlier copy to be excluded.
- If sections were genuinely copied, acknowledge it, explain the circumstances briefly, and ask whether a corrected resubmission is possible. Honesty early is treated far more leniently than denial later.
- Keep all your drafts, notes and data to show your own work.
For future submissions, run a pre-submission similarity report with "no repository" settings so your draft is not stored. We provide these confidentially, and we can help you correct citations and quotations in your own draft.
More: what to do with a 60% report · similarity FAQ
This guide is general information. Always follow your own university's current regulations and your supervisor's advice.