UGC CARE Journals

UGC-approved journals for Indian academic promotions, PhD submissions, and API score requirements.

What is UGC CARE?

📌 UGC Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics (CARE)

UGC CARE is the University Grants Commission of India's official list of approved academic journals. Universities use this list to evaluate publications for faculty promotions (CAS), PhD submissions, API score calculations, and research incentive schemes. The list is divided into Group I (higher quality, includes Scopus/WoS indexed) and Group II (India-specific journals). Always verify at ugccare.inflibnet.ac.in before citing for promotion.

📗 UGC CARE Group I

  • Journals indexed in Scopus, Web of Science (SCIE/SSCI/AHCI)
  • Higher API score credit in most universities
  • Internationally peer-reviewed and quality-assured
  • Preferred for faculty promotions in central universities
  • Approx. 30,000+ journals in Group I

📘 UGC CARE Group II

  • India-specific journals not in Scopus/WoS
  • Evaluated and approved by UGC directly
  • Subject to periodic review — journals may be added or removed
  • Applicable for API score in most state universities
  • Approx. 640+ journals currently in Group II

⚠️ Important Cautions

  • Always verify current status — journals are periodically delisted
  • Check the UGC CARE portal directly before citing for promotions
  • Some predatory journals have fraudulently claimed UGC CARE status
  • Being on UGC CARE does not automatically mean Scopus indexed
  • Each university may have its own additional criteria
Scopus-Indexed UGC CARE Journals — by Subject

Representative UGC CARE journals that are also Scopus indexed — giving you both international recognition and Indian institutional compliance.

Journal NameSubject AreaPublisher / CountryQuartileStatus
Indian Journal of Medical ResearchMedicineICMR, IndiaQ2✓ UGC CARE
Journal of Applied PhysiologyMedicine – PhysiologyAmerican Physiological Society, USAQ1✓ UGC CARE
Indian Journal of Physiology and PharmacologyMedicineScientific Scholar, IndiaQ4✓ UGC CARE
Indian Journal of Gender StudiesSocial SciencesSAGE IndiaQ2✓ UGC CARE
IIMB Management ReviewBusiness & ManagementElsevier / IIM Bangalore, IndiaQ2✓ UGC CARE
Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision MakersBusiness & ManagementSAGE / IIM Ahmedabad, IndiaQ3✓ UGC CARE
Journal of the Indian Chemical SocietyChemistryElsevier / Indian Chemical SocietyQ3✓ UGC CARE
Sadhana – Academy Proceedings in Engineering SciencesEngineeringSpringer / Indian Academy of SciencesQ2✓ UGC CARE
Journal of the Indian Institute of ScienceEngineering (Multidisciplinary)Springer / IISc BangaloreQ2✓ UGC CARE
Indian Journal of Pure and Applied MathematicsMathematicsSpringer / INSAQ3✓ UGC CARE
Indian Journal of PhysicsPhysics & AstronomySpringer / IACSQ2✓ UGC CARE
Journal of Earth System ScienceEarth & Planetary SciencesSpringer / Indian Academy of SciencesQ2✓ UGC CARE
Indian Journal of MicrobiologyImmunology & MicrobiologySpringer / AMIQ2✓ UGC CARE
Indian Journal of PharmacologyPharmacology & PharmaceuticsWolters Kluwer, IndiaQ3✓ UGC CARE
Annals of Indian Academy of NeurologyNeuroscienceWolters Kluwer / IAN, IndiaQ2✓ UGC CARE
Journal of BiosciencesBiochemistry & Molecular BiologySpringer / Indian Academy of SciencesQ2✓ UGC CARE
Economic and Political WeeklySocial SciencesSameeksha Trust, IndiaQ2✓ UGC CARE
Indian Journal of Agricultural SciencesAgricultural & Biological SciencesICAR, IndiaQ3✓ UGC CARE
Indian Journal of Animal SciencesVeterinaryICAR, IndiaQ3✓ UGC CARE
Journal of Indian Society of PeriodontologyDentistryWolters Kluwer, IndiaQ3✓ UGC CARE
Psychology and Developing SocietiesPsychologySAGE IndiaQ2✓ UGC CARE
Current ScienceMultidisciplinaryIndian Academy of SciencesQ2✓ UGC CARE
Asian Journal of Nursing Education and ResearchNursingInnovative Publication, IndiaQ4✓ UGC CARE
Journal of Education and Health PromotionHealth ProfessionsWolters Kluwer, IndiaQ2✓ UGC CARE
Indian LiteratureArts & HumanitiesSahitya Akademi, IndiaQ3✓ UGC CARE
Energy for Sustainable DevelopmentEnergyElsevier / IEI, IndiaQ1✓ UGC CARE
Arthaniti: Journal of Economic Theory and PracticeEconomics & FinanceSAGE / University of CalcuttaQ4✓ UGC CARE

⚠️ Always verify current UGC CARE status at ugccare.inflibnet.ac.in before citing for promotion purposes.

How to Use UGC CARE Journals for Career Advancement

🎓 For PhD Scholars

  • Most Indian universities require 1–2 Scopus/UGC CARE publications before thesis submission
  • Check your university's specific PhD ordinance for minimum publication requirements
  • UGC Group I (Scopus) publications generally satisfy all university norms
  • Some universities require publication in your PhD topic area

👨‍🏫 For Faculty Promotions (CAS)

  • Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) uses API scores from publications
  • UGC CARE Group I (Scopus/WoS) = higher API credits than Group II
  • Assistant to Associate Professor typically requires 10–15 Scopus/UGC papers
  • Maintain records with DOIs, ISSNs, and volume/issue/page details

🏛️ For University Rankings

  • NIRF ranking uses Scopus publications as a major research quality metric
  • QS World University Rankings count Scopus citations
  • Publishing in Scopus journals directly improves your institution's ranking
  • UGC CARE alone (without Scopus) may not count for international rankings
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