Why IJRTI Fits the New UGC Peer-Reviewed Journal Policy — A Point-by-Point Self-Audit
- UGC's Shift Toward a Peer-Reviewed Journal Policy
- How to Use This Self-Audit
- Journal Title & ISSN Authenticity
- Periodicity & Issue Frequency
- Publisher Authenticity & Contact Details
- Transparent Peer Review Policy
- Certified Official Domain
- Open Access & Fee Transparency
- Plagiarism Checking & Tools
- Editorial Board & Reviewer Transparency
- Indexing & Repository Integration
- Archival Policy & DOI Preservation
- Impact Factor Verification
- Ethical Publishing Standards
- Journal Design & Presentation Standards
- Quick Checklist Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
UGC's Shift Toward a Peer-Reviewed Journal Policy
UGC has moved away from treating a single static "approved list" as the final word on journal credibility, instead publishing suggestive parameters — under its Peer-Reviewed Journal Policy — for identifying genuinely transparent, ethically operated journals. The emphasis has shifted toward verifiable transparency, research integrity, and authentic Transparent Peer Review journal publication, rather than a name simply appearing on a list.
Authors should always check UGC's own official public notice for the current framework rather than relying on any journal's paraphrase of it — including this one. This article walks through the major parameters typically used to judge journal credibility, checked directly against IJRTI, point by point.
How to Use This Self-Audit
Every section below follows the same format: what the parameter checks for, and IJRTI's actual, verifiable status against it — with a link or method to confirm it yourself. Treat this as a template you can apply to any journal you're considering, not just IJRTI.
Journal Title & ISSN Authenticity
What to check: The journal's title should be unique, not deceptively similar to an established journal, and consistent across its website, ISSN record, and any indexing databases. Its ISSN should be verifiable on the official ISSN Portal and match the title exactly.
| Parameter | IJRTI's Status |
|---|---|
| Journal Title | International Journal for Research Trends and Innovation (IJRTI) |
| ISSN | 2456-3315 — verifiable on the official ISSN Portal |
| Official Website | ijrti.org |
Periodicity & Issue Frequency
What to check: The journal should follow a consistent, stated publication schedule with accessible past issues, and be cautious of journals claiming implausibly high frequency without real review behind it.
IJRTI publishes monthly, without gap, since 2016 — a decade of continuous, archived issues, multidisciplinary in scope and accepting papers in English and regional Indian languages.
Publisher Authenticity & Contact Details
What to check: The publisher's name, address, and contact details should be verifiable, with a professional email domain rather than a generic free email service.
| Detail | IJRTI's Status |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Journey & Wisdom Publications |
| Address | Ahmedabad, Gujarat — 380060, India |
| editor@ijrti.org (journal-domain email, not a generic free service) | |
| Phone/WhatsApp | +91 63544 78822 |
Transparent Peer Review Policy
What to check: A clear, publicly available peer review policy stating the review type, reviewer selection, and evaluation timeline. Journals that don't disclose their review process should be treated with caution.
IJRTI operates a double-blind peer review system supported by a panel of 3,000+ expert reviewers, with reviewer and author identities hidden from each other and anonymised reviewer comments shared directly with the author alongside the editorial decision — all at no separate charge, built into the standard review process. For the complete breakdown, see IJRTI's Transparent Peer Review Policy.
Certified Official Domain
What to check: The journal should operate on a professionally managed, custom domain (not a free subdomain), secured with SSL (HTTPS), with ownership verifiable via WHOIS lookup.
IJRTI operates on its own official, SSL-secured domain: ijrti.org. Always confirm you're on this exact domain before submitting a paper or making a payment.
Open Access & Fee Transparency
What to check: The access model (open access vs. subscription) and all fees should be disclosed upfront on the website, with no unexpected charges demanded after acceptance.
| Detail | IJRTI's Status |
|---|---|
| Access model | Fully open access, CC BY 4.0 licensed |
| Base fee (India) | ₹599, disclosed upfront |
| Base fee (International) | $40 USD, disclosed upfront |
| Optional add-ons | CrossRef/DataCite DOI (₹300 / $20), hard copy (₹500) — disclosed separately, not hidden |
Plagiarism Checking & Tools
What to check: A journal should use recognized plagiarism detection tools, define an acceptable similarity threshold, and share the report with authors for transparency.
IJRTI screens every submission using Turnitin and iThenticate, applying a 15% similarity threshold as the acceptance benchmark, covering self-plagiarism and duplicate submissions in addition to third-party copying.
Editorial Board & Reviewer Transparency
What to check: Editors and reviewers should have verifiable institutional affiliations and disclosed credentials — vague or undisclosed board details are a red flag for any journal.
IJRTI publishes its editorial board with named individuals and institutional affiliations openly on the website, open to independent verification. For the full criterion-by-criterion breakdown, see UGC CARE Criteria Explained.
Indexing & Repository Integration
What to check: Genuine, verifiable indexing in recognized platforms — and be cautious of journals that claim indexing without valid, checkable links.
Verify any of these independently rather than trusting a badge — search IJRTI (ISSN 2456-3315) directly on each platform's own site.
Archival Policy & DOI Preservation
What to check: Past issues should remain systematically archived and accessible, and published articles should carry valid, resolvable DOIs from a recognized registration agency.
IJRTI maintains a full, accessible archive of past issues since 2016, and offers CrossRef/DataCite DOI registration on request (₹300 India / $20 USD international) for published articles, resolvable via doi.org. See What is a DOI? CrossRef & DataCite Explained for the full mechanics.
Impact Factor Verification
What to check: Any claimed impact factor should be genuine and traceable to a real source, not a self-declared or fabricated metric from an unrecognized service.
Ethical Publishing Standards
What to check: Documented policies on authorship criteria, conflicts of interest, plagiarism handling, and research misconduct, ideally aligned with recognized bodies like COPE.
IJRTI's ethics policy follows COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines, covering authorship disputes, conflict-of-interest declarations, and misconduct handling. As with any responsible journal, authors are expected to disclose meaningful use of AI writing tools in their submissions as part of good research-integrity practice.
Journal Design & Presentation Standards
What to check: Consistent citation formatting, professional layout, a well-maintained website, and support for regional languages where relevant.
IJRTI maintains standardized referencing formats, structured article layout, and a professionally maintained, SSL-secured, regularly updated website. Papers are accepted in English and regional Indian languages, with abstracts required in English. A printed hard copy of the published issue is available on request for institutions that require physical archives.
Quick Checklist Summary
| Parameter | Status |
|---|---|
| Authentic Title & ISSN | ✓ ISSN 2456-3315 |
| Consistent Periodicity | ✓ Monthly since 2016 |
| Verified Publisher Contact | ✓ Journey & Wisdom Publications |
| Transparent Peer Review | ✓ Double-blind, 3,000+ reviewers |
| Certified Domain | ✓ ijrti.org, SSL-secured |
| Fee Transparency | ✓ ₹599 / $40, add-ons disclosed separately |
| Plagiarism Screening | ✓ Turnitin/iThenticate, 15% threshold |
| Disclosed Editorial Board | ✓ Published with affiliations |
| Genuine Indexing | ✓ Google Scholar, CrossRef and more — ✗ not Scopus/WoS/DOAJ |
| Valid DOI | ✓ CrossRef/DataCite, on request |
| Verifiable Impact Factor | ✓ 10.57, Google Scholar-based |
| COPE Ethics Compliance | ✓ Documented policy |