UGC-CARE List Discontinued: What It Means for Authors

If you're a student or faculty member in India, you've probably been told to "publish only in a UGC-CARE journal." That advice is now out of date. The UGC has discontinued the UGC-CARE list. Here is what changed, when it changed, and what it means for your next paper.

What was UGC-CARE?

The UGC introduced UGC-CARE (Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics) in 2018. It kept a central list of approved journals, used for faculty hiring, promotions and research grants. The aim was to keep people away from predatory journals that charge fees without doing a real peer review.

Timeline: how the list was discontinued

• 3 October 2024: At its 584th meeting, the Commission decided to discontinue UGC-CARE journal listing, following an expert committee's recommendations.
• 11 February 2025: A UGC public notice announced the decision and released draft "Suggestive Parameters for choosing peer-reviewed journals" for public feedback.
• 24 June 2025: At its 591st meeting, the Commission approved the final suggestive parameters.
• 16 July 2025: A UGC public notice published the final parameters. It also posted the 1,474 journals that were on the list as of 10 February 2025, for reference only. The UGC says being on, or missing from, that archived list does not mean it validates or endorses a journal.

Sources: UGC public notice, 11 February 2025 and UGC public notice, 16 July 2025.

Why did the UGC scrap it?

In an interview with The Indian Express, the UGC Chairman pointed to concerns about subjectivity, lack of transparency and inefficiency in how journals were assessed. Common complaints were that one central body decided what counted as quality research, that adding or removing journals took a long time, and that some predatory journals still got onto the list (The Hindu).

What replaced it?

There is no new central list. The UGC moved to a decentralised approach. Universities and colleges (HEIs) now judge journals themselves, using the UGC's Suggestive Parameters for Peer-Reviewed Journals. The parameters are grouped under eight criteria, including Journal Preliminary Criteria, Editorial Board Criteria, Journal Editorial Policy, Journal Visibility and Research Ethics. Examples from the official annexure:

• Journal title, and ISSN (print and/or online)
• Periodicity and continuity: a regular publication schedule
• Contact and publication details: publisher information, address and contact details
• Transparent review policy: clear guidelines for the peer-review process
• Website on a certified domain: a secure, professionally managed website
• Open access or subscription policy: a clear policy on access and fees
• Integration with national or international repositories: for example, inclusion under One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
• Archival policy: how past issues are kept and made available
• Editorial board details: names, affiliations and expertise, with subject experts
• Efficient editorial and review process: rigorous peer review and clear timelines

HEIs may set up internal committees to adjust these parameters for their own subjects.

What this means for authors

1. Stop asking "Is it UGC-CARE?" Nobody can truthfully claim a journal is "UGC-CARE approved" today. Treat that phrase in an advertisement as a warning sign.
2. Check your own institution's rules. Your university or college now decides which journals count for PhD requirements, API scores and promotions. Ask your research cell or IQAC for its current policy before you submit.
3. Check the journal against the parameters yourself. Look for a verifiable ISSN, a stated peer-review process, a named editorial board, an ethics and plagiarism policy, and fees published up front.
4. Look for permanent identifiers. A Crossref DOI gives your paper a permanent, citable link. Check it at doi.org.
5. Keep your evidence. Save the acceptance email, review comments, publication certificate and DOI link. Committees may ask for them.

How IJVAST fits these parameters

We'd rather show you facts than make claims. You can check each of these yourself:

• ISSN: 2839-5379 (Online)
• Crossref DOI prefix: 10.68296. Published papers get DOIs in the format 10.68296/.
• Peer review: double-blind. The process is described on our Peer Review page.
• Ethics: see our Publication Ethics statement
• Fees: published openly on the Publication Charges page, with no hidden costs
• Editorial board: listed on the Editorial Board page

Whether a journal counts for your promotion or degree is up to your institution, not the journal. Always confirm with them.

FAQ

Is the UGC-CARE list still valid? No. The UGC discontinued it. The archived list of 1,474 journals is for reference only and is not an endorsement.

Did papers I already published in CARE journals stop counting? The UGC notices don't cancel past publications. How older papers are treated is up to your institution, so check its policy.

Is there a new UGC-approved journal list? No. Institutions now evaluate journals using the UGC's suggestive parameters.

What should I check before submitting? A verifiable ISSN, a real peer-review process, an editorial board, ethics and plagiarism policies, clear fees, and ideally a Crossref DOI.

Ready to submit? Read the Author Guidelines or go to Submit Paper.

References

1. University Grants Commission. Public Notice: Discontinuation of UGC-CARE listing and draft suggestive parameters, 11 February 2025.
2. University Grants Commission. Public Notice: Approved suggestive parameters and reference list of former CARE journals, 16 July 2025.
3. The Hindu. UGC CARE dissolution: Suggestive parameters for choosing journals released, 11 February 2025.
4. The Indian Express. Why UGC is scrapping its list of quality journals, 12 February 2025.

Last reviewed: October 2026. This article explains public UGC notices and is not legal or institutional advice.