Professor D.P. Singh
Chairman UGC
The Quality Mandate of the UGC emphasizes importance of promoting quality research by the faculty and for creating new knowledge. Credibility of research publications is extremely important. High-quality publications in reputed journals help in achieving higher global ranks and overall improvement of quality of education.
Publications in dubious sub-standard journals reflects adversely leading to long term academic damage and tarnishing of image. A problem of dubious /sub-standard journals has become a serious concern all over the world. The percentage of research articles published in poor quality journals is reported to be high in India, which has adversely affected its image.
As an apex regulatory body responsible for maintenance of standards in institutions of higher education, the UGC has taken firm steps to improve quality of research and safeguard publication ethics. For this purpose, the UGC has established “Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics” (CARE) for creation and maintenance of “Reference List of Quality Journals”. CARE members include Statutory Councils/ Academies/ Government bodies and others like the Association of Indian Universities.
The UGC Journal analysis Cell at Pune, CARE Universities at Hyderabad, New Delhi, Vadodara, Tezpur have created first edition of CARE List under the supervision of the Empowered Committee. I congratulate entire team of CARE and sincerely hope that the CARE List will benefit academic community in quality improvement efforts.
Professor Bhushan Patwardhan
Former Chairman CARE Empowered Committee and Vice Chairman UGC
Foreword
Increased incidence of compromised publication ethics and deteriorating academic integrity is a growing problem contaminating all domains of research. It has been observed that unethical / deceptive practices in publishing are leading to an increased number of dubious/ predatory journals worldwide. It has been reported that the percentage of research articles published in predatory journals is high in Indian Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs). Unethical practices leading to ‘pay and publish trash’ culture in India needs to be thwarted immediately.
Research and innovation involve rigorous scientific effort in search of truth, creation of new knowledge contributing to socioeconomic benefits for global good. It is important to ensure prevention of academic misconduct including plagiarism in academic writing among student, faculty, researcher and staff. Responsible conduct of research and safeguarding ethics and integrity in scientific research is extremely crucial.
Academic Integrity is defined as “the intellectual honesty in proposing, performing and reporting any activity, which leads to the creation of new knowledge, intellectual property”. Any attempt of compromised academic integrity should be challenged, questioned and de-recognized at all levels.
Indian academic community including teaching faculty, scientists and research scholars need to ensure that the journals / conferences they choose follow standard ethical policies. For this purpose, the UGC has set up a Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics (CARE) to identify, continuously monitor and maintain reference list of quality journals across disciplines. We suggest that research articles published only in CARE Reference List of Quality Journals (CARE List) should be considered for all academic purposes.
Indian academic community must avoid publication in predatory/ dubious journals or participate in predatory conferences. They must not get associated (as Editors/Advisors or in any other capacity) with journals / publishers / conferences involved in fraudulent, dubious, / deceptive practices.
Vice Chancellors, selection committees, research supervisors / guides and such other experts involved in academic evaluation / assessment must ensure that their decisions are primarily based on quality of research work and not merely on number of publications. Any publicationsin predatory journals or presentations in predatory conferences should not be considered for academic credit for selection, confirmation, promotion, performance appraisal, award of scholarship or academic degrees or credits in any form. We hope CARE list will be useful for this purpose.
UGC (Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2018 and UGC CARE website may be referred for more information. Guidance from Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) and the Leiden Manifesto may be also referred for this purpose.
In addition toReference List of Quality Journals, CARE website also provides useful resources as relevant publications, audio visual materials, videos, weblinks etc. CARE website also provides FAQs, Feedback and grievance redressal mechanism. We hope that CARE website and Reference List of Quality Journals will be useful to create more awareness and help the cause of promoting academic integrity and ethical publishing.