Check this before anything else: the UGC-CARE list is no longer being maintained. The UGC-CARE portal states that the list has not been updated since October 2024 and will not be updated further, per the UGC Public Notice dated 11 February 2025, and that the website is available for information purposes only. Any advice telling you to simply pick a CARE-listed journal is out of date.
That single fact changes how you should choose a journal, because the shortcut most Indian scholars were taught no longer works. Here is what to check instead.
| Check | What it tells you | Cost | Reliability as a signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scopus source list | Journal is currently indexed in a major international database | Free to search the source list | Strong and current |
| Web of Science master list | Journal is currently indexed and in which collection | Free to search the master list | Strong and current |
| DOAJ | Open-access journal has passed an editorial screening | Free | Strong for open access only |
| UGC-CARE list | Journal appeared on the list before it was frozen | Free | Historical only, not current |
| Your university’s guidance | What your own research board will actually accept | Free | Decisive for you |
The criteria used here
- Currency. Does the signal reflect the journal’s status today, or a snapshot from the past?
- Verifiability. Can you check it yourself in a few minutes without paying?
- Institutional weight. Will your department accept it when your publication record is assessed?
- Coverage. Does it cover your discipline, including Indian-language and regional scholarship?
What exactly happened to the UGC-CARE list?
The Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics maintained a list of approved journals that became the default reference point for Indian scholars and for many university promotion and submission rules.
The portal now carries a clear notice: the list has not been updated since October 2024 and will not be updated further, following the UGC Public Notice dated 11 February 2025, and the site remains available for information purposes only. Checked on 12 August 2026, that notice was still displayed.
The practical implications are worth stating plainly:
- A journal appearing on the frozen list tells you it met the criteria at some point before October 2024. It does not tell you the journal is sound today.
- A journal not on the list is not thereby disqualified, particularly if it launched or improved after the freeze.
- Any blog, guide or coaching service currently advertising an updated CARE list for 2026 is not describing something the UGC maintains.
Because the national shortcut is gone, verification has shifted back to you and to your institution. That is more work, but it is also more honest: the checks below are what the list was standing in for all along.
1. Check the major indexing databases
The most reliable current signal is whether a journal is actively indexed in a major international database. Both Scopus and Web of Science publish searchable lists of the sources they currently index, and you can check a journal’s title or ISSN against them without a subscription.
Two things to watch. First, index membership changes: journals are added and also removed, so check the current list rather than a claim on the journal’s own website. Second, a journal’s site claiming it is “Scopus indexed” is a claim by the journal, not evidence. Verify it at the source, because false indexing claims are one of the most common markers of a predatory operation.
2. Check DOAJ for open-access journals
The Directory of Open Access Journals lists open-access journals that have passed its editorial screening covering matters such as transparency of peer review, clarity of fees and publishing ethics.
As of 12 August 2026, DOAJ listed 418 journals published in India out of 23,306 journals worldwide. That is a small proportion of the journals soliciting Indian submissions, which is precisely why DOAJ membership is a meaningful positive signal.
Note the limitation: DOAJ covers open-access journals only. Many reputable subscription journals are absent, so absence from DOAJ is not evidence against a journal. Use it as a positive marker, never as a disqualifier.
3. Check your own institution’s guidance
This is the check that actually determines whether your paper counts. The UGC Regulations, 2018 already require every higher educational institution to adopt and publish its own academic integrity policy, and institutions similarly set their own expectations for publication quality.
Ask your research section or supervisor directly what your university now accepts for pre-submission publication requirements following the CARE freeze. Different universities have responded differently, and a rule that applies at a neighbouring institution may not apply at yours. Get the answer in writing if you can, because you may need to demonstrate compliance at submission.
4. Read the journal itself
No list substitutes for ten minutes spent on the journal’s own site. Warning signs that reliably indicate trouble:
- Promised publication in days, with no described peer review process.
- An implausibly broad scope, accepting everything from cardiology to civil engineering.
- An editorial board without verifiable institutional affiliations, or listing academics who have not agreed to serve.
- Unsolicited email invitations to submit, especially flattering ones referencing a paper of yours vaguely.
- Article processing charges disclosed only after acceptance.
- Indexing claims that fail when you check them at the source.
- Contact details limited to a web form, with no verifiable postal address.
A journal exhibiting several of these is not a borderline case. Publishing there can actively damage your record, because a paper in a discredited venue is difficult to remove and may be disregarded or questioned during assessment.
What should you actually do?
- If your department specifies acceptable venues: follow that specification. It overrides every general rule here.
- If you have discretion: prioritise journals currently indexed in Scopus or Web of Science within your discipline.
- If you are publishing open access: confirm DOAJ listing and check the fee disclosure before submitting.
- If a journal is only on the frozen CARE list: treat that as a starting point, then verify current indexing and read the journal before deciding.
- If you receive an email invitation: assume it needs verification before it deserves any consideration.
How many papers do you need before submission?
Publication requirements before thesis submission are set by each university’s research board rather than by a single national rule, and they changed at some institutions after the CARE freeze because the old rules referenced CARE-listed venues directly.
Check your own ordinance, and check the current version. Requirements that applied to a scholar who registered three years before you may not be the requirements applied to you.
Getting a publishable paper out of your thesis
Choosing the venue is the last step. The work that decides acceptance is turning a thesis chapter into a paper: a tighter argument, a focused literature review, and results presented for a journal audience rather than an examination panel.
Tesify helps you restructure and develop that material from your own chapters and notes, keeping the argument coherent as you cut and rebuild. You choose the venue, you verify every source, and you remain the author responsible for the content.
Develop your chapter into a paper in Tesify
Related checks before you submit
Publication is one of several requirements that converge at submission. The similarity thresholds that apply nationally are covered in the UGC plagiarism limit for a PhD thesis, the deposit obligation that follows your award is explained in what Shodhganga is, and the document that starts the formal process is covered in how to write a PhD synopsis.
Frequently asked questions
Is the UGC-CARE list still valid in 2026?
It is no longer maintained. The portal states the list has not been updated since October 2024 and will not be updated further, per the UGC Public Notice dated 11 February 2025, and that the site is available for information purposes only.
Can I still cite my paper as CARE-listed?
You can accurately state that a journal appeared on the list, ideally with the period. Presenting it as a current UGC approval would misrepresent the position, since the list is frozen.
Does this mean Scopus is now compulsory?
No. Scopus indexing is a widely recognised signal, not a national requirement. Your university’s research board decides what it accepts, and reputable non-Scopus journals exist in many fields.
How do I check whether a journal is really in Scopus?
Search the publicly available source list by journal title or ISSN rather than trusting the journal’s own claim. Confirm the journal is listed as currently indexed, since coverage can be discontinued.
What about journals in Indian languages?
Coverage in international indexes is thinner for regional-language scholarship, which matters in humanities and language disciplines. Rely more heavily on your discipline’s recognised venues and your institution’s guidance, and document why the venue is appropriate.
Are all fee-charging journals predatory?
No. Article processing charges are a legitimate open-access model used by many reputable publishers. The warning sign is not the existence of a fee but a fee concealed until after acceptance, combined with no meaningful peer review.
What if I already published in a journal that now looks doubtful?
Speak to your supervisor early rather than hoping it goes unnoticed. Depending on the circumstances the paper may simply carry less weight, or you may need to publish elsewhere to meet requirements. Concealment is riskier than disclosure.
Does a journal need an impact factor to be credible?
No, and impact factor claims are frequently fabricated by predatory publishers using invented metrics with official-sounding names. Verify any metric at its source, and judge credibility on peer review and indexing rather than on a number.
How long does peer review normally take?
It varies widely by discipline and journal, but genuine review generally takes weeks to months. An offer of acceptance within days is a strong signal that no substantive review occurred.
Where can I read the UGC notice myself?
The UGC publishes public notices on its official website, and the UGC-CARE portal displays the notice about the list no longer being updated. Check both directly, since your department may ask you to evidence the current position.