UGC CARE Indexing in 2026: The Current Status
Editors still search for how to index a journal in UGC CARE, and many websites still offer to "get your journal into UGC CARE". The accurate answer in 2026 is short: you cannot. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has discontinued the UGC-CARE journal listing. There is no application window, no evaluation queue and no new list. Any service claiming it can place a journal on UGC-CARE is offering something that does not exist.
What replaced the list is a set of Suggested Parameters for Choosing Peer-Reviewed Journals. Instead of UGC deciding centrally which journals count, higher education institutions (HEIs) and researchers now judge journals against published criteria, adapted to their own disciplines. For journal owners, the practical question is no longer "how do we get listed?" but "how do we clearly meet the parameters and prove it?"
From UGC Approved List to UGC-CARE to Suggested Parameters
Understanding the history explains why many people are confused. India has tried several approaches to separating credible journals from poor ones, and each replaced the one before it.
- 2017
UGC publishes an "Approved List of Journals" for teacher appointments and promotions. It quickly attracts criticism for including many low-quality titles.
- 2018
UGC re-evaluates the approved list and removes a large number of journals, then sets up the Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics (UGC-CARE) to build a new, quality-checked reference list.
- 2019 onward
The UGC-CARE Reference List runs in two groups: Group I for journals found qualified through the CARE process, and Group II for journals indexed in recognised global databases. The list is revised periodically.
- 3 October 2024
The 584th UGC meeting decides to discontinue the UGC-CARE listing and move to suggestive parameters.
- 11 February 2025
A public notice announces the discontinuation and releases draft parameters for feedback, open until 25 February 2025. The final list as on 10 February 2025 is published for reference only.
- Mid-2025
UGC approves the final Suggestive Parameters for Peer-Reviewed Journals (reported as approved in June 2025) and notifies them to HEIs in July 2025.
The site's detailed explainer, UGC CARE discontinued and the new parameters, walks through each notice document by document.
Why UGC Discontinued the CARE List
Reports of the UGC's reasoning, and the criticism the list faced over several years, point to a consistent set of problems with any central journal list in a country as large and diverse as India.
Centralisation
One national list could not reflect the needs of every discipline and every institution.
Subjectivity
Inclusion decisions were criticised as inconsistent and hard to understand from outside.
Poor fit for non-STEM fields
Humanities, social sciences and Indian-language journals were often under-represented.
Cloning and churn
Fake "clone" journals copied listed titles, and frequent list changes left researchers unsure what counted.
The shift is from "is this journal on a list?" to "does this journal meet clear quality parameters?" That question can be answered by anyone, for any journal.
Can a Journal Still Be Indexed in UGC CARE?
No. This is the most important point in this guide on how to index a journal in UGC CARE, so it is worth stating plainly. Since the listing has been discontinued:
- No journal can apply to UGC-CARE, and UGC accepts no new titles for any list.
- No agency, consultant or "partner" can arrange UGC-CARE inclusion, for any fee.
- No UGC journal number can be issued to a new journal; old numbers from earlier lists belonged to those lists and journals.
- The final 1,474-title list is a frozen reference, not an endorsement and not a door that reopens.
- A certificate or badge claiming new UGC-CARE indexing in 2025 or later cannot be genuine.
UGC Suggested Parameters for Choosing Peer-Reviewed Journals
UGC's annexure, titled "Suggestive Parameters for Peer-Reviewed Journals", groups 35 parameters into eight categories. UGC describes them as general guidelines for quality, transparency and relevance, which HEIs may use according to the disciplines their faculty work in.
| Category | Parameters |
|---|---|
| 1. Journal preliminary criteria | Journal title; ISSN (print and/or online); periodicity and continuity; publisher, address and contact details; transparent review policy; website on a certified, secure domain; clear open-access or subscription and fee policy; integration with national or international repositories; archival policy for past issues |
| 2. Editorial board criteria | Board members' names, affiliations and expertise; composition with subject experts and eminent academics; efficient, rigorous review process with clear timelines |
| 3. Editorial policy | Aims, objectives and scope; subject areas; transparent article processing charges; publishing timeline from submission to publication; acceptance rate |
| 4. Quality of content | Academic contribution and advancement of knowledge; conformity of articles to the stated scope |
| 5. Journal standards | Accurate, standardised references and bibliographic data; professional font and design; quality visuals; citation record in reputable databases; print continuity where applicable; quality, regularly updated website; multilingual availability and Indian-language relevance |
| 6. Research ethics | Ethical guidelines for authors; plagiarism prevention within standard similarity limits; conflict-of-interest disclosure; a policy on AI-generated content |
| 7. Visibility | Impact factor or similar metric, if applicable; indexing in reputed databases |
| 8. Impact | Self-citation within a reasonable range compared with peers; total citation rate compared with similar journals; citation impact over a defined period |
The weighting is telling. Most parameters concern transparency, policy and process, which any well-run journal can meet from the start. Only a handful concern metrics and indexing, and UGC marks the impact factor item "if applicable", recognising that many sound journals have none.
How to Align a Journal With UGC's Suggested Parameters
Alignment is practical work. For each category, decide what a reviewer from a university committee would look for, then make sure it is on your website and true in practice.
Preliminary criteria: the identity layer
Show the exact title and ISSN on every page and on every article PDF, and make sure they match the ISSN Portal record. State the publication frequency and keep to it; a "monthly" journal with gaps of four months fails continuity. Publish the publisher's name, contact email on the journal's own domain and phone number. Use HTTPS. Write clear access and fee policies, archive every past issue at a permanent address, and deposit metadata in recognised repositories and discovery services.
Editorial board and review process
List every editor and board member with full name, designation, institution and a verifiable profile link. Make sure members actually review and handle papers. Publish the peer review model, the typical timelines and how decisions are made. A journal management system such as JWJMS supports this with an online submission portal, author dashboard, desk screening, reviewer invitations and reminders, revision rounds and decisions, and keeps a full record of each step, which makes timelines easy to report honestly.
Editorial policy and fees
Write a precise aims and scope statement and a list of subject areas, and reject papers outside them. Publish the article processing charge, when it is payable and what it covers, before authors submit. Report your average time from submission to publication and your acceptance rate, and update them at least yearly.
Parameters that are easy to overlook
Two items surprise many editors. The repository parameter mentions inclusion under ONOS (One Nation One Subscription) "or similar umbrellas", which signals that UGC wants journal content connected to national and international infrastructure rather than sitting only on a standalone website; open metadata, DOIs and repository deposit are the practical response. The multilingual parameter values relevance to the Indian context and content in Indian languages. A journal does not have to become bilingual overnight, but accepting papers in Indian languages within its scope, or publishing abstracts in more than one language, is a genuine way to address it. Neither item is mandatory everywhere; institutions decide how much each matters for a given field.
Standards, ethics and visibility
Enforce one reference style. Use professional typesetting with readable fonts and clear figures. Publish ethical guidelines, a conflict-of-interest policy and an AI-use policy. Screen every manuscript for similarity before review; JWSCAN checks a manuscript for similarity using iThenticate (by Turnitin) and gives an overall similarity index with a source-by-source report. Register DOIs and deposit metadata so that citation records can build; JWDOI registers Crossref DOIs and deposits article metadata, with a sponsored prefix for journals that have not joined Crossref directly.
Publishing an Evidence Page for Committees
Because institutions now judge journals themselves, the journal that makes evidence easy to find has an advantage. A single "UGC parameters" page that links each parameter to proof saves committee members time and builds trust.
- ISSN with a link to the ISSN Portal record
- Publication schedule and a link to the complete archive
- Publisher details, official email and phone
- Peer review policy, reviewer guidelines and typical timelines
- Editorial board page with affiliations and profile links
- Aims and scope, subject areas and fee policy
- Plagiarism, ethics, conflict-of-interest and AI policies
- DOI registration, licence and repository or discovery links
- Any metric, named exactly with its source and limits
- Acceptance rate and average publication time, with the date last updated
Keep claims precise. Write "aligned with UGC's Suggested Parameters" and show the proof; do not write "UGC-CARE approved" with a number, and do not borrow logos, numbers or wording from other journals' past listings.
What Authors and Researchers Should Do Now
For authors, the end of the list means more responsibility but also more clarity: you can check any journal yourself. Follow your own institution's rules first, because each HEI may adapt the parameters.
- Ask your institutionFind out whether your university has an internal committee or approved criteria
- Verify identityMatch title, ISSN and website on the ISSN Portal to avoid clone journals
- Check processLook for real peer review, a named board and published timelines
- Check fees and ethicsFees disclosed upfront, plagiarism and AI policies in place
- Check visibilityDOIs that resolve and indexing claims you can verify
PhD scholars
The UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of PhD Degree) Regulations, 2022, removed the earlier rule that a scholar must publish in a peer-reviewed journal before submitting the thesis. Many universities still set their own publication expectations, so check your university's current ordinance rather than relying on old CARE-era advice.
Faculty for appointments and promotion
Selection and promotion committees now look at whether journals meet credible quality criteria. Keep a short file for each paper: the journal's ISSN record, peer review policy, DOI and any verifiable indexing. That file answers most questions a committee will ask.
What Institutions and Review Committees Should Do
UGC's annexure gives HEIs two suggestions: let faculty and students use the parameters to choose journals suited to their disciplines, and set up internal committees to fine-tune the parameters from time to time so they keep meeting quality standards and match the institution's goals.
Form a committee
Include subject experts from science, social science and humanities so no field is judged by another's norms.
Adapt the parameters
Decide which items are essential for each discipline and which are desirable, and write that down.
Publish the policy
Share the criteria with faculty and scholars before they submit papers, not after.
Review regularly
Revisit the policy at least yearly as journals, databases and research practices change.
Red Flags: UGC Claims That Should Worry You
Credible wording
- "Aligned with UGC's Suggested Parameters", with an evidence page
- A clear statement that the UGC-CARE list has been discontinued
- An ISSN that matches the ISSN Portal record
- Metrics named exactly, with their source
- Fees disclosed before submission
Warning signs
- Offers to add a journal to UGC-CARE for a fee
- A "UGC number" displayed by a journal founded after the old lists closed
- Claims of new UGC-CARE inclusion dated 2025 or later
- Guaranteed acceptance or publication within days
- A title almost identical to a well-known journal, with a different ISSN
Common Misunderstandings After the CARE List Ended
Months after the notices, the same misunderstandings keep appearing in messages from authors and in advertisements from agencies. The table below sets out the most frequent ones against what UGC's documents actually say.
| Common belief | What is actually the case |
|---|---|
| "A new UGC-CARE list will be released soon." | UGC moved to suggestive parameters on purpose; at the time of writing it has not announced any new central list. |
| "The 1,474-journal list is the new approved list." | It is the final list as on 10 February 2025, kept for reference only, and UGC says inclusion does not imply validation or endorsement. |
| "Without the list, any journal is now acceptable." | Institutions still judge quality, now against published parameters and their own committee decisions. |
| "Only Scopus and Web of Science journals count now." | UGC's parameters include indexing as one item among 35; institutions decide how much weight to give it for each discipline. |
| "An impact factor is compulsory." | UGC marks the impact factor item "if applicable"; many sound journals have no official metric. |
| "Agencies can still register a journal with UGC." | There is no register. Fees paid for "UGC inclusion" buy nothing that UGC recognises. |
International indexing as a complement
Indexing in reputed databases remains one of UGC's visibility parameters, and many institutions value it. Databases such as Scopus, Web of Science and DOAJ run their own evaluations with their own criteria, and none of them can be bought. The good news is that the work of aligning with UGC's parameters overlaps heavily with what those databases look for: a verified ISSN, timely issues, transparent peer review, a real editorial board, published ethics policies and clean metadata. A journal that completes the UGC self-audit honestly has done much of the groundwork for a future database application, without any guarantee of the outcome.
How JMVRA Approaches the UGC Parameters
JMVRA, the Journal of Modern and Versatile Research Approach (online ISSN 2984-8911, established June 2023, monthly, online, multidisciplinary, published by JMVRA Publication), states its position in these words:
JMVRA is a Transparent, Peer-Reviewed, Open Access Journal (Refereed Journal). Following the discontinuation of the UGC and UGC-CARE journal listing, and in alignment with the latest UGC-CARE recommendations and guidelines, JMVRA is aligned with UGC's Suggested Parameters for Choosing Peer-Reviewed Journals.
JMVRA was founded after the earlier numbered lists closed, so it has no UGC journal number and does not claim one. Its articles are open access under CC BY 4.0 with Crossref DOIs under the prefix 10.56975 (shared by the group's journals), and the publication fee of ₹971 for Indian authors or US$41 for international authors is payable only after acceptance. The JMVRA UGC recognition page sets out how the journal addresses the parameters. Authors looking for other journals in the same network can consider TIJER (tijer.org) and JNRID (jnrid.org). No journal can guarantee acceptance, and each institution makes its own decisions about which journals it recognises.
A 12-Month Plan to Align a Journal With UGC's Parameters
For an editor starting from a basic website, this general plan spreads the work over a year. Timings are illustrative and depend on team size.
- Months 1-2
Run the 35-item self-audit. Fix identity basics: ISSN display, publisher details, HTTPS, official email domain.
- Months 3-4
Write or rewrite policies: peer review, ethics, conflict of interest, AI use, fees, archiving, licence.
- Months 5-6
Rebuild the editorial board with verifiable members; move submissions and reviews into a tracked workflow.
- Months 7-9
Introduce similarity screening for every manuscript, DOI registration and repository deposit; standardise references and layout.
- Months 10-12
Publish the evidence page, report timelines and acceptance rate, and schedule the next audit.
In short, learning how to index a journal in UGC CARE today means learning that the list is gone and that the real task is meeting UGC's Suggested Parameters openly and verifiably. A journal that does this is easier for any committee to accept and better placed for international indexing later. To discuss workflow, similarity screening or DOI support for your journal, contact the team to discuss your requirement at [email protected] or on WhatsApp at +91 91063 65667.
How Journey & Wisdom Helps
JMVRA is published within the Journey & Wisdom group, which runs four shared services — similarity checking, journal management, DOI registration and conference management — and thirteen publication platforms. These are the ones that matter most for this guide. For anything not listed here, email [email protected] or message WhatsApp +91 91063 65667 to discuss your requirement.
JWJMS
Journal management systemRuns the editorial workflow: online submission portal, author dashboard, desk screening, reviewer invitations and reminders, revision rounds, decisions, issue building and publication scheduling — with a full record of every step.
jwjms.org
JWSCAN
Plagiarism & similarity checkChecks a manuscript for similarity before submission with iThenticate (by Turnitin) and returns an overall similarity index with a source-by-source report editors can act on.
jwscan.org
JWDOI
Crossref DOI registrationRegisters Crossref DOIs and deposits article metadata, and gives journals a sponsored DOI prefix without joining Crossref directly — for journals, books, chapters and proceedings.
jwdoi.orgSee every Journey & Wisdom product and platform · JW ecosystem map
How to align a journal with UGC's Suggested Parameters: step by step
Confirm the current UGC position
Read UGC's notices: the UGC-CARE listing is discontinued and the final list is for reference only, so no journal can be added.
Download the Suggested Parameters
Get UGC's annexure of 35 parameters in eight categories and use it as your checklist.
Run a self-audit
Mark each parameter as met, partly met or not met, with the evidence for each.
Fix the journal's identity
Show the title and verified ISSN everywhere, publish publisher contacts, and use a secure official domain.
Publish complete policies
Cover peer review, ethics, conflicts of interest, AI use, fees, open access, licence and archiving.
Strengthen the editorial board
List real experts with affiliations and profiles, and make sure they take part in reviews.
Run a tracked review workflow
Record submissions, reviews, revisions and decisions so you can report honest timelines and acceptance rates.
Screen every manuscript for similarity
Check submissions before review and keep the reports with each file.
Register DOIs and deposit metadata
Make each article citable and discoverable, and build a verifiable citation record.
Publish an evidence page
Link every parameter to proof on your site, and use the wording "aligned with UGC's Suggested Parameters".
Re-audit every six months
Update the evidence, timelines and policies as the journal grows and as institutions refine their criteria.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I index my journal in UGC CARE?
You cannot. UGC has discontinued the UGC-CARE journal listing, so there is no application process and no new list. Instead, align your journal with UGC's Suggested Parameters for Choosing Peer-Reviewed Journals and publish the evidence openly, so institutions and researchers can see that your journal meets them.
Is the UGC CARE list discontinued?
Yes. UGC decided at its 584th meeting on 3 October 2024 to discontinue the listing, announced it in a public notice dated 11 February 2025, and later notified suggestive parameters for choosing peer-reviewed journals. The final list as on 10 February 2025 was published for reference only and does not imply endorsement.
What replaced the UGC CARE list?
UGC's Suggestive Parameters for Peer-Reviewed Journals: 35 parameters in eight categories covering preliminary criteria, editorial board, editorial policy, content quality, standards, research ethics, visibility and impact. Higher education institutions use them, adapted to their disciplines, and may form internal committees to refine them.
Can an agency get my journal into UGC CARE?
No. Because the listing no longer exists, no agency, consultant or partner can add a journal to it for any fee. Any such offer is misleading, and a certificate it produces carries no weight with UGC or with institutions. Spend that money and effort on meeting UGC's Suggested Parameters, which committees can actually check on your website.
Is publishing in a journal from the old UGC CARE list still valid?
Papers already published remain part of your record. For new papers, institutions now judge journals against quality criteria rather than list membership, and UGC states that inclusion in the final reference list does not imply validation. Check your own institution's current policy for appointments, promotion or PhD rules.
How do I know if a journal is valid for UGC purposes now?
Apply the Suggested Parameters yourself: verify the ISSN on the ISSN Portal, check for a published peer review policy and a real editorial board, confirm fees are disclosed upfront, look for plagiarism and AI policies, and test that DOIs and indexing claims can be verified. Then follow your institution's own criteria.
What are UGC's suggested parameters for peer-reviewed journals?
They include journal title, ISSN, regular publication, publisher details, transparent review policy, secure website, access and fee policy, repository integration, archiving, editorial board quality, scope, fees, timelines, acceptance rate, content quality, referencing, design, citation record, ethics, plagiarism control, conflict-of-interest and AI policies, indexing and citation measures.
Does JMVRA meet UGC's current criteria?
Yes. JMVRA is a Transparent, Peer-Reviewed, Open Access Journal (Refereed Journal). Following the discontinuation of the UGC and UGC-CARE journal listing, JMVRA is aligned with UGC's Suggested Parameters for Choosing Peer-Reviewed Journals. It has no UGC journal number, because it was founded in 2023, and each institution decides which journals it recognises.
Is publication required for a PhD under UGC rules?
The UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of PhD Degree) Regulations, 2022, removed the mandatory requirement to publish in a peer-reviewed journal before thesis submission. Many universities still set their own publication expectations, so check your university's current PhD ordinance before planning.
What was the difference between UGC CARE Group I and Group II?
Group I contained journals found qualified through the UGC-CARE evaluation process, while Group II contained journals indexed in recognised global databases such as Scopus and Web of Science. Both groups belonged to the now-discontinued listing system and are no longer updated.
Can a new journal show a UGC approval number?
No. UGC no longer issues journal numbers through any list. A journal founded after the old lists closed has no UGC number, and displaying one, or borrowing another journal's number, is misleading. Credible journals describe their alignment with UGC's Suggested Parameters and show their evidence instead.
Does a journal need an impact factor under the new UGC parameters?
Not necessarily. UGC lists "impact factor or similar factor" with the qualifier "if applicable". Many sound journals have no official metric. If a journal shows a metric, it should name it exactly and state its source, and institutions may weigh it as one signal among the 35 parameters.
How long does it take to align a journal with UGC's parameters?
For a journal with basic systems in place, a structured effort typically takes a few months to a year: an audit, new or revised policies, a stronger editorial board, a tracked review workflow, similarity screening, DOIs and an evidence page. Continuity and timeliness then have to be shown issue after issue.
What should a journal write about UGC on its website?
State plainly that UGC has discontinued the UGC-CARE listing, then explain how the journal is aligned with UGC's Suggested Parameters for Choosing Peer-Reviewed Journals, with a page linking each parameter to evidence. Never quote a UGC journal number or imply membership of a current list, because no such list exists.
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Publish Your Research in JMVRA
Peer-reviewed, open access (CC BY 4.0), monthly and multidisciplinary · ISSN 2984-8911 · ₹971 for Indian authors and US$41 for international authors, payable only after acceptance.