1. Where one can find UGC-CARE List?The UGC-CARE List is available on the website https://ugccare.unipune.ac.in
2. What is the “UGC-CARE List” of Journals?The UGC-CARE Reference List of Quality journals is now divided into 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 recognized databases
3. What are predatory/ dubious/ questionable journals or publishers?According to Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) “Predatory publishing is generally defined as for-profit open-access journal publication of scholarly articles without the benefit of peer review by experts in the field or the usual editorial oversight of the journals in question ( https://publicationethics.org/resources/discussion-documents/predatory-publishing).
4. How often UGC-CARE List is updated?UGC-CARE List is updated quarterly i.e. on first of January, April, July, and October (or on the next working day if there is a public holiday on these dates) every year.
5. Why few journals are removed before completing the quarter?Journals found to be involved in unethical practices are immediately removed.
6. Who can recommend journals for inclusion in the UGC-CARE List?Anyone can recommend journal/s, whether Indian or foreigner, for inclusion in the UGC-CARE List, by following the prescribed submission process available at https://ugccare.unipune.ac.in
7. How can publishers add their journal/s to UGC-CARE List?Publishers can submit journal title/s through IQAC Cell of any affiliated college / University following the prescribed submission process with the recommendation of teaching faculty along with the duly signed declaration form by competent authority.
8. What is the status of the research papers published before the UGC-CARE List?You can refer to the public notification of the UGC dated 14th June 2019 (point 2 and 3) available on the UGC-CARE website.
9. Why are a few journals recommended by colleges/ universities are not included in the UGC-CARE List?Following could be the reasons for non-inclusion:
- The journals might not have been received through the IQAC centre of particular university.
- The journals might have not fulfilled the qualifying protocols.
10. How corrections can be made in the UGC-CARE List?Any type of corrections or discrepancies found in the journal information in the UGC-CARE List can be communicated using feedback option available on the UGC-CARE website.
11. How to submit complaint about a journal mentioned in the UGC-CARE List?The UGC-CARE List is dynamic. The complaints or grievances regarding journal entries in the UGC-CARE List can be submitted using feedback option available on the UGC-CARE website.No submission form for journals are entertained, if they are sent using feedback option.
12. How to find a journal in a particular subject area?You can use a subject search option available on the UGC-CARE list. The journals in the UGC-CARE List are classified according to All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes, which are created and maintained by Scopus (Elsevier Science).
13. Whether the journals indexed in different databases are part of the UGC-CARE List?Journals indexed in globally accepted databases are part of UGC-CARE List Group II. No other databases are recognized by UGC-CARE.
14. What is the status of journals indexed in Web of Science or Scopus database in the UGC-CARE List?Any journal indexed in Web of Science or Scopus database is the part of the of UGC-CARE List Group II. There is no need to submit such journals again for inclusion into the UGC-CARE List.
15. How to search the journals indexed in Web of Science or Scopus database on the UGC-CARE website?You cannot search journals indexed in Web of Science or Scopus database directly on the UGC-CARE website but separate links to these databases are provided under Group II of the UGC-CARE List.
16. Are journals included in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) of Web of Science included in the UGC-CARE List?Journals included in ESCI are not part of the UGC-CARE List Group II. As and when these journals are included in the Web of Science source publications (Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), Social Science Citation Index (SSCI), then, they will be automatically become the part of the UGC-CARE List under Group II.
17. What is the re-review process of the rejected journal?Rejected journal can be submitted for re-review only after one year and are required to follow the prescribed submission process. These journals will be reconsidered only if they qualify the analysis protocol.
18. Why are journals indexed in the directory of Modern Language Association (MLA) not considered in the UGC-CARE List?Many journals indexed in MLA directory are already included in the Web of Knowledge and Scopus databases. Other journals qualified after scrutinizing in accordance with UGC-CARE protocols are included in UGC-CARE Group II.
19. I have published a research paper in a journal which is indexed in Scopus but removed from the UGC-CARE list. Will it be considered for promotion and other academic purposes?Please note that any publication in these journals will not be considered for any academic purposes. (Please refer to the public notification of the UGC dated 14th June 2019 (points 2 and 3) available on the UGC-CARE website.)
20.Why our journal is not included in UGC-CARE List?If your journal has any of the following criteria, then journal may not have been considered for the UGC-CARE List.
- Crony publication: Institutional / society publication with inhouse editorial board and If more than 60% articles published either by the editorial board members or in-house researchers / faculty members.
- Credentials of editorial board:Research credentials of editorial board are not upto the mark.
- False Information: If any misleading and/or false metrics are displayed anywhere on the journal’s website or its pages the journal will not be eligible for inclusion in the UGC-CARE List.