UGC CARE Journal Guidelines — How to Publish, Step by Step

What Is UGC CARE, in Brief

UGC CARE (Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics) is an initiative by India's University Grants Commission to enhance academic integrity, prevent plagiarism, and promote high-quality research publication practices. UGC CARE maintains an official list of quality academic journals — the UGC CARE List — eligible for academic recognition.

This guide focuses specifically on the practical side: what the current guidelines actually require, and the exact steps to check a journal and publish in it. For the fuller background on the list's history, its Group I/II structure, and cloned-journal risks, see the companion article About the UGC-CARE List of Journals.

Why Publications Outside the List Aren't Accepted

Publications in journals not listed in UGC CARE are typically not accepted for:

• Ph.D. thesis submissions
• Research project approvals and grant applications
• Faculty promotions (API scoring)
• Academic credit evaluations at the institutional level

The Latest Peer-Reviewed Journal Policy — What's New

UGC CARE's Peer-Reviewed Journal Policy is periodically updated, and the most recent revision sharpens focus on:

The direction of travel across recent policy updates has been consistent: less tolerance for self-declared, unverifiable claims, and more emphasis on documentation that can be independently checked — reviewer feedback disclosure, verifiable ISSN, verifiable indexing, and a checkable editorial board.

UGC CARE Guidelines Checklist

Requirement	Status
Peer-reviewed and refereed	✓ Required
Listed in UGC CARE Group I or Group II	✓ Required
Indexing claims (Scopus, Web of Science) independently verifiable	✓ Required
Transparent, open editorial policies	✓ Required
Fake indexing or hidden fees	✗ Disqualifying

Group I vs. Group II — Quick Recap

UGC CARE organizes journals into two groups: Group I journals qualify through UGC CARE's own review protocols, while Group II journals are already indexed in international databases like Scopus or Web of Science. Both are valid CARE listings — for the full breakdown, including the retired four-group legacy system, see About the UGC-CARE List of Journals.

Step by Step: How to Check a Journal's UGC CARE Status

1. Visit the official portal: ugccare.unipune.ac.in.
2. Register with your name, email, and a password.
3. Log in and go to your dashboard.
4. Search journals by subject, language, publisher, or Group I / Group II status.
5. Cross-verify the ISSN, publisher details, and any indexing claims independently before proceeding.

Step by Step: How to Publish in a UGC CARE Listed Journal

Once you've verified a journal's status, the actual publication process typically follows this sequence. Here is how it maps onto IJRTI's own workflow:

Step	What Happens	At IJRTI Specifically
1. Prepare manuscript	Format in DOC/DOCX with abstract, keywords, and proper referencing	Author guidelines available on the Documentation page
2. Submit	Submit through the journal's online portal or official email with author details	Submit via Call for Paper; a registration ID is issued instantly
3. Screening	Editorial and plagiarism screening begins	AI-based screening + Turnitin/iThenticate check, 15% threshold
4. Peer review	Editor assigns reviewers; double-blind evaluation follows	4500+ reviewer panel, decision typically within 1–2 days
5. Acceptance & fee	Pay publication fee and submit author declaration	₹599 India / $40 USD international, no hidden charges
6. Revision (if needed)	Address reviewer feedback and resubmit	Anonymised reviewer comments shared directly with the author
7. Track progress	Use your Paper ID / Manuscript ID to check status	Track via Track Your Paper
8. Publish & certificate	Paper goes live with a DOI and publication certificate	CrossRef/DataCite DOI on request; certificate issued to every author

Avoiding Cloned or Fake Journals During Submission

Before you submit anywhere, confirm you are on the journal's actual official domain (not a link forwarded in an unsolicited email), and cross-check the ISSN and Group listing directly on the UGC CARE portal itself.

How IJRTI Applies These Guidelines in Practice

• Fast peer review — a 4500+ reviewer panel plus AI-based screening keeps genuine peer review within 1–2 days. See why IJRTI publishes fast.
• Transparent editorial policies — editorial board, review process, and ethics policy are published openly.
• Verifiable claims — IJRTI's Impact Factor is explicitly disclosed as Google Scholar-based, and its non-indexing in Scopus/Web of Science/DOAJ is stated directly rather than implied otherwise. See Scopus & Web of Science standards vs. indexing.
• No hidden fees — a flat ₹599 / $40 USD fee, with optional add-ons (DOI, hard copy) disclosed separately. See why IJRTI costs only ₹599 / $40.

Frequently Asked Questions