UGC CARE is Gone: What Indian Researchers Need to Know in 2026

What You’ll Learn in This Post

• What exactly happened to the UGC CARE list and why was it discontinued?
• What replaces UGC CARE list India — and how does the new system work?
• How will this change affect journal publications for promotions and appointments?
• Which journals and indexing databases are now considered credible?
• What should Indian researchers do right now to protect their academic career?

What Happened to UGC CARE? – The End of an Era

For years, the UGC CARE (Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics) list served as the official reference point for Indian academics seeking to publish in approved journals. It determined promotion eligibility, appointment criteria, and institutional recognition. Over time, the University Grants Commission quietly but consequentially overhauled its entire academic publishing framework — and in 2026, the landscape looks very different.

So what replaces UGC CARE list India going forward?

The short answer: a shift toward globally recognised indexing databases and a more self-regulated, institution-driven framework. The longer answer requires understanding why the old system failed, what has taken its place, and what it means for your career as a researcher.

Why the UGC CARE List Was Discontinued

The UGC introduced the CARE list in 2018 to combat predatory journals in Indian academia. It categorised approved journals into two groups:

– List A (indexed in established global databases)

– List B (UGC-approved Indian journals).

The intent was solid. The execution, however, had significant problems.

The key issues included:

• Inconsistent quality control: Many journals on List B showed poor peer-review standards or inactive editorial boards.
• Gaming the system: Some journals gamed their way onto the list to attract submissions without maintaining genuine scholarly rigour.
• Rapid obsolescence: The UGC updated the list too slowly – journals that had lost credibility remained listed for extended periods.
• Mismatch with global standards: Indian researchers publishing in List B journals often found their work unrecognised internationally, creating a two-tier system that disadvantaged Indian scholarship on the world stage.

By 2024, the UGC acknowledged these shortcomings and announced a structural overhaul.

What Replaces UGC CARE List India: The New Framework Explained

The new framework shifts the burden of quality assurance to globally recognised indexing bodies and institutional accountability.

Here is what the replacement structure looks like in practice.

1. Global Indexing Databases as the New Benchmark

Under the revised UGC guidelines, journals indexed in the following databases are now the primary benchmark for academic recognition:

• Scopus (Elsevier)
• Web of Science (Clarivate)
• PubMed / MEDLINE (for biomedical research)
• DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals)
• ERIH PLUS (for humanities and social sciences)

If a journal is indexed in any of these databases, it is generally considered credible for the purpose of academic appointments and promotions. This represents a significant philosophical shift. Instead of maintaining its own criteria, India is deferring to the global scholarly community.

For researchers looking to verify whether a journal qualifies, platforms like IndianJournals.com offer a searchable database of peer-reviewed Indian journals, many of which are indexed in Scopus and Web of Science — making it easier to find credible publication venues without navigating multiple international portals.

2. Institution-Led Evaluation

What replaces the UGC CARE list India in spirit, not just structure, is a greater emphasis on institutional responsibility. Universities and colleges are now expected to define their own journal quality criteria within the broad framework set by the UGC, rather than relying on a single centralised list.

This means:

• Research committees at each institution bear more responsibility for evaluating publication quality.
• Researchers need to maintain stronger documentation of journal credibility (impact factors, indexing status, editorial board details).
• Ambiguity is higher in the short term, especially at institutions that have been slow to update their internal policies.

3. The Role of the Academic Performance Indicator (API) Score

The API scoring system, which underpins teacher promotions under the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS), has undergone revision to reflect the new approach. Publications in journals indexed in Scopus or Web of Science now carry higher weightage, while journals that were only on the UGC CARE List B but are not globally indexed may no longer carry the same credit.

If you are due for a promotion in the next one to two years, this is particularly important. Check whether the journals you have published in are indexed in one of the accepted global databases — and ensure your institution’s research committee is working off the latest UGC guidelines.

What This Means for Indian Journal Publishers

Journals that relied on CARE listing as their primary credibility marker now need to invest in meeting the standards of international indexing bodies.

This is actually a positive development for Indian scholarship in the long run.

Journals that achieve Scopus or Web of Science indexing will gain greater global visibility. Researchers can explore a curated list of such journals through IndianJournals.com’s peer-reviewed journal directory, which includes journals that meet internationally recognised standards across disciplines.

What Replaces UGC CARE List India for Researchers in the Humanities and Social Sciences

One genuine concern with the new framework is its impact on researchers in the humanities, social sciences, and regional language disciplines. These fields have fewer journals in Scopus or Web of Science compared to STEM fields, and many high-quality Indian journals in these areas were on UGC CARE List B but are not globally indexed.

The UGC has attempted to address this through ERIH PLUS inclusion and by continuing to acknowledge DOAJ as a credible marker for open-access humanities journals. However, many researchers in these disciplines are finding the transition jarring.

For now, the practical guidance is:

• Prioritise DOAJ-listed open access journals in your field.
• Consult your institutional research committee for field-specific guidance.
• Avoid journals with no indexing, no ISSN, and no verifiable editorial board.

Predatory Journals: A Persistent Risk

The disbanding of UGC CARE has temporarily increased the risk of predatory publishing. With no official government-maintained list as a guardrail, some researchers — particularly those under pressure to publish for promotions — may fall prey to journals that charge fees and guarantee acceptance without genuine peer review.

The UGC has referenced Beall’s List and similar watchdog databases as tools researchers should consult.

Researchers can also cross-check journal details and verified indexing information through platforms like IndianJournals.com’s research publication portal, which provides transparent metadata about listed journals.

A Practical Checklist for Indian Researchers in 2026

Before submitting your next paper, run through this quick check:

1. Is the journal indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, DOAJ, or ERIH PLUS? If yes, you’re on safe ground.
2. Does the journal have a verifiable ISSN and an active editorial board? Check the ISSN Portal directly.
3. Is the turnaround time suspiciously fast? Legitimate journals take weeks to months for peer review — not days.
4. Is there a fee involved? Not all article processing charges (APCs) signal a predatory journal, but extremely low or unannounced fees are a red flag.
5. Has your institution updated its promotion criteria to reflect the new UGC guidelines? If not, proactively ask your research committee to do so.

Key Takeaways

• UGC CARE has been discontinued and is no longer the official reference for journal quality in Indian academia.
• The UGC CARE list is replaced with a combination of globally recognised indexing databases (Scopus, Web of Science, DOAJ, ERIH PLUS, PubMed) and greater institutional accountability.
• Researchers should prioritise globally indexed journals to ensure their publications carry weight for promotions, appointments, and international recognition.
• Humanities and social science researchers face a steeper transition and should lean on DOAJ and ERIH PLUS as credible alternatives.
• The risk of predatory journals has temporarily risen — stay vigilant and verify every journal before submitting.
• Your institution’s research committee is now a key decision-maker — engage with them proactively to understand how the new framework applies to your specific promotion or appointment cycle.

The end of UGC CARE is not the end of quality research publishing in India. It is, if anything, an opportunity for Indian scholarship to align more closely with global standards — and for researchers who adapt quickly to gain a genuine competitive edge.

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Looking to find credible, indexed journals for your next submission? Explore IndianJournals.com for a comprehensive directory of peer-reviewed Indian journals across disciplines.