UGC Journal Quality Index (UGC-JQI)

Evaluating Journal Quality in the Post UGC-CARE Era

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has discontinued the UGC-CARE Journal List and has introduced a set of suggestive parameters to help Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), researchers, faculty members, and students identify quality peer-reviewed journals.

In response to this significant shift, RootIndexing introduces the UGC Journal Quality Index (UGC-JQI), a transparent and comprehensive evaluation framework designed to assess the overall quality, credibility, visibility, and ethical standards of academic journals.

The UGC-JQI is not a replacement for traditional citation-based metrics such as Journal Impact Factor or CiteScore. Instead, it serves as a holistic quality assessment model aligned with the UGC's recommendations for selecting and evaluating peer-reviewed journals.

What is UGC Journal Quality Index (UGC-JQI)?

The UGC Journal Quality Index (UGC-JQI) is a 100-point assessment framework developed to measure the overall quality of scholarly journals using multiple academic, editorial, ethical, and visibility-related parameters.

Objectives of UGC-JQI

Assist researchers in selecting credible journals.
Promote transparency in academic publishing.
Encourage journals to adopt best publishing practices.
Support institutions in evaluating publication quality.
Reduce dependence on misleading or predatory metrics.

UGC-JQI Assessment Framework

1. Journal Preliminary Criteria (15 Points)

This category evaluates the journal's foundational publishing information and operational transparency.

Parameters Evaluated

Valid ISSN Registration
Publication Regularity and Continuity
Publisher Information and Contact Details
Transparent Peer Review Policy
Secure and Professional Website
Access and Subscription Policy
Repository Integration
Archiving and Preservation Policy

2. Editorial Quality (20 Points)

The editorial board reflects the academic strength and credibility of a journal.

Parameters Evaluated

Editorial Board Transparency
Institutional Diversity
International Representation
Subject Expertise of Editors
Editorial Governance Structure
Peer Review Management
Reviewer Selection Process
Editorial Decision Transparency

3. Editorial and Publishing Policies (15 Points)

Parameters Evaluated

Clearly Defined Aims and Scope
Subject Coverage
Article Processing Charge Transparency
Publication Timeline Disclosure
Acceptance Rate Disclosure
Author Guidelines
Copyright and Licensing Policies

4. Research Content Quality (10 Points)

Parameters Evaluated

Originality of Research
Academic Contribution
Relevance to Discipline
Methodological Rigor
Policy and Societal Relevance
Scope Compliance

5. Journal Standards and Publishing Infrastructure (15 Points)

Parameters Evaluated

Bibliographic Accuracy
Citation Consistency
Website Functionality
Professional Layout and Design
Availability of Full-Text Articles
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) Support
Metadata Quality
Preservation and Accessibility

6. Publication Ethics and Integrity (15 Points)

Parameters Evaluated

Publication Ethics Statement
Plagiarism Detection Policy
Conflict of Interest Disclosure
Retraction and Correction Policy
Data Availability Policy
AI-Generated Content Policy
Author Responsibilities
Reviewer Ethics Guidelines

7. Journal Visibility and Impact (10 Points)

Parameters Evaluated

Indexing in Recognized Databases
Abstracting Services
Citation Performance
Online Discoverability
Digital Presence
International Reach

UGC-JQI Scoring Model

Category	Maximum Score
Journal Preliminary Criteria	15
Editorial Quality	20
Editorial Policies	15
Content Quality	10
Publishing Standards	15
Research Ethics	15
Visibility and Impact	10
Total Score	100

Journal Quality Categories

Based on the overall UGC Journal Quality Index (UGC-JQI) score, journals are classified into the following quality categories. These categories provide a structured indication of a journal's adherence to recognized publishing, editorial, ethical, and visibility standards.

Grade	Score Range	Quality Description
A+ Excellence	90 – 100	Journals demonstrating exceptional publishing standards, international visibility, rigorous peer review, strong ethical practices, and significant academic contribution.
A Grade	80 – 89	Highly credible journals with excellent editorial management, transparent review procedures, quality research output, and strong academic impact.
B+ Grade	70 – 79	Well-established journals maintaining acceptable quality standards, ethical publishing practices, and consistent scholarly communication.
B Grade	60 – 69	Journals meeting essential publication requirements but requiring further enhancement in editorial processes, visibility, or publication quality.
Under Review	Below 60	Journals requiring substantial improvement in quality assurance, editorial practices, publication ethics, transparency, and scholarly impact.

Note: The UGC-JQI grade is intended to provide a transparent quality assessment based on journal policies, editorial standards, publication ethics, visibility, and impact indicators. The grade does not represent official approval, accreditation, or endorsement by the University Grants Commission (UGC) or any governmental authority.

Recommended Additional Excellence Indicators

RootIndexing also recognizes journals that demonstrate excellence through additional scholarly infrastructure, including:

Crossref Membership
DOI Assignment
ORCID Integration
Open Access Compliance
LOCKSS/CLOCKSS Preservation
OAI-PMH Metadata Support
Scopus Coverage
Web of Science Coverage
Open Citation Standards
Digital Preservation Policies

These indicators may contribute to supplementary recognition and distinction badges.

Benefits of UGC-JQI

For Researchers

Identify trustworthy journals.
Avoid predatory publishers.
Improve publication quality.

For Universities and HEIs

Support research evaluation processes.
Strengthen academic quality assurance.
Facilitate publication assessment.

For Journal Publishers

Benchmark publishing standards.
Improve journal visibility.
Demonstrate commitment to ethical publishing.

For Funding and Accreditation Bodies

Access a structured quality assessment model.
Encourage responsible research dissemination.

Disclaimer

UGC Journal Quality Index (UGC-JQI) is an independent assessment framework developed by RootIndexing based on publicly available suggestive parameters issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) for selecting peer-reviewed journals. UGC-JQI is not endorsed, approved, or operated by the University Grants Commission. The score is intended solely as an informational and quality assessment indicator and should not be interpreted as official recognition or accreditation by any governmental authority.

RootIndexing Commitment

RootIndexing is committed to promoting transparency, integrity, and excellence in scholarly communication. Through the UGC Journal Quality Index, we aim to provide researchers, institutions, and publishers with a reliable framework for assessing journal quality and encouraging responsible academic publishing practices worldwide.