The University Grants Commission (UGC) has formally discontinued the UGC-Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics (CARE) publication listing. In place of the CARE journal listing, the UGC has established a set of suggested metrics for staff and students to use while selecting academic publications for study and publication. These new guidelines were created by a group of experts and academics and are now available for public comment.
This decision, which supersedes the November 28, 2018 Public Notice, is based on the recommendations of an expert committee. “In supersession of the Public Notice dated 28th November 2018 for establishing UGC Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics (UGC- CARE), the Commission, in its 584th meeting held on 3rd October 2024, based on the recommendations of the expert committee, has decided to discontinue UGC-CARE listing of Journals and develop suggestive parameters for choosing peer-reviewed journals by faculty members and students,” according to the UGC announcement.
“The suggestive parameters, developed by a group of experts and academicians, are now available for public feedback until February 25th, 2025, at the email address journal@ugc.gov.in.” Stakeholders, particularly higher education institutions (HEIs) and faculty members, may take note,” it says.
Recommended specifications for peer-reviewed journals
The UGC notification underlines HEIs’ commitment to encouraging high-quality research and dissemination via peer-reviewed publications. To attain this purpose, HEIs are advised to use the indicative parameters made public by the UGC. The UGC recommended that HEIs form internal review committees to fine-tune these metrics depending on their academic demands and ensure compliance with developing quality standards.
According to Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, chairman of the UGC, the UGC-CARE list was implemented in 2018 to ensure that only respectable journals were considered for faculty appointments, promotions, and research funding applications. The list was created in response to growing concerns about the quality of academic papers and the proliferation of predatory journals.
The UGC-CARE System receives criticism.
However, the system was heavily criticised for overcentralisation, delays in admitting or eliminating journals, and a lack of openness in its decision-making process. Furthermore, several highly renowned publications, particularly those published in Indian languages, were excluded, whilst less reputable ones were included. Researchers also encountered obstacles, such as the pressure to publish in UGC-CARE-listed journals and the uncertainty that came with journals being quickly removed off the list.
Review and termination of the UGC-CARE List
In response to these concerns, Prof Kumar states that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has questioned the strict restriction of scholarly publishing. This prompted the UGC to form an expert group in December 2023 to assess the UGC-CARE scheme. The committee’s recommendations resulted in the decision to withdraw the CARE list and encourage higher education institutions to develop their own reliable institutional methods for rating publications.
“This new approach gives institutions more flexibility,” Prof Kumar says, adding that it allows them to build models that correspond with academic norms and the specific needs of particular fields. Researchers will no longer be limited to a centralised list of periodicals.”
Furthermore, Prof Kumar underlines that HEIs would play a critical role in combatting predatory journals under the new system. Institutions must create trustworthy processes for journal evaluation in order to defend their reputations and sustain intellectual standards. Experienced faculty members are also expected to help younger scholars locate respectable journals while avoiding predatory ones.
Restore academic freedom and autonomy.
The decentralisation of journal evaluation is viewed as a step towards regaining academic independence. “By discontinuing the UGC-CARE list, the UGC has returned the journal selection process to HEIs,” he adds. He continues, “This restores academic freedom and autonomy, allowing researchers to publish in journals that best align with their discipline and audience.”
HEIs will now be responsible for accommodating fresh and fast growing fields in their journal evaluation frameworks. This flexibility enables the recognition of journals that may not have received adequate recognition from previous indexing techniques, ensuring that the changing nature of academic publishing is addressed.
For more information, stakeholders are asked to consult the UGC’s official communications and submit their thoughts on the revised suggested limits before the deadline.
