UGC CARE Journals

UGC-CARE- A Quality Mandate for Indian Academia

To match global standards of high quality research, in all academic disciplines under its purview, the University Grants Commission (UGC) aspires to stimulate and empower the Indian academia through its “Quality Mandate”. A public notice was issued by the UGC, on the 28^th of November, 2018, to announce the establishment of a dedicated Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics (CARE) to carry out this mandate.

Objectives of the UGC-CARE

To promote quality research, academic integrity and publication ethics in Indian universities.
To promote high quality publications in reputed journals that would help in achieving higher global ranks.
To develop an approach and methodology for identification of good quality journals.
To prevent publications in predatory/ dubious / sub-standard journals, which reflect adversely and tarnish the image of Indian academia.
To create and maintain a “UGC-CARE Reference List of Quality Journals” (UGC-CARE List) for all academic purposes.

Need for UGC-CARE List

The credibility of research publications is extremely important because it represents the academic image of not just an individual, but of the institution and the entire nation.
The number of research articles published in reputed journals is one of the globally-accepted indicators considered for various academic purposes such as institutional ranking, appointments, promotions of faculty members, membership of academic committees, award of research degrees etc.
The problem of predatory / dubious / sub-standard journals has become a cause of serious concern all over the world.
The percentage of research articles published in poor quality journals is reported to be high in India, which has adversely affected its image.
Publications in dubious / sub-standard journals reflect adversely leading to long-term academic damage and a tarnished image of an individual, institution and the nation.

The Scope of the UGC-CARE List

UGC-CARE has taken the responsibility of preparing the “UGC-CARE Reference List of Quality Journals” (UGC-CARE List).
A list of Indian journals, especially from disciplines of Arts, Humanities, Languages, Culture and Indian Knowledge Systems is being prepared and updated quarterly (UGC-CARE Group I).
The UGC-CARE List includes journals from all disciplines indexed in globally accepted databases, such as indexed in Scopus (Source list) or Web of Science (Arts and Humanities Citation Index Source Publication, Science Citation Index Expanded Source Publication, Social Science Citation Index Source Publication). These journals are to be considered for all academic purposes. Journals indexed in Scopus and / or Web of Science are part of UGC-CARE List Group II.

Organization of the UGC-CARE

UGC-CARE Empowered Committee (UGC-CARE EC)

UGC has formed the Empowered Committee (UGC-CARE EC) to supervise the functioning of UGC-CARE. The same committee will govern the activities of UGC Cell for Journal Analysis at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), Pune.

UGC-CARE Council members

Council Members are representatives from Statutory Councils / Academies/ Government bodies in Social Sciences, Humanities, Arts and Fine Arts, Science, Medical, Agriculture, Engineering and the Association of Indian Universities.

UGC-CARE Universities

Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, (Northern Zone)

[Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand]

The M. S. University of Baroda Vadodara, (Western Zone)

[Chhattisgarh, Dadara and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra]

University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad (Southern Zone)

[Andaman & Nicobar, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Telangana]

Tezpur University, Assam (Eastern Zone)

[Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, Tripura, West Bengal]

UGC Cell for Journal Analysis

UGC has established a “Cell for Journals Analysis” at SPPU, Pune (UGC Cell, SPPU) at the Centre for Publication Ethics (CPE), Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) to create and maintain the UGC-CARE List.

INFLIBNET Centre, Gandhinagar, is serving as a supporting agency.

UGC-CARE List

The UGC-CARE List now has only TWO groups, instead of the original FOUR groups to simplify the search process. These are NOT hierarchic or ranked groups.

UGC-CARE List Group I: Journals found qualified through UGC-CARE protocols
UGC-CARE List Group II: Journals indexed in globally recognised databases

Updation of UGC-CARE List

The UGC-CARE List is dynamic. It shall be updated quarterly i.e. on the first of January, April, July, and October (or on the next working day if there is a public holiday on these dates) every year.