Peer-reviewed and refereed
With the review model, reviewer role and decision process documented, not merely claimed.
UGC CARE Approved Journal • Low Cost Publication
UGC CARE Journals: Current Guidelines & Complete Submission Process
Expanded guide: this article now has a longer, fully updated edition with step-by-step how-to sections, FAQs and checklists — UGC CARE Journal Guidelines 2026: The Parameter Checklist and a Complete Submission Process.
What a journal actually has to satisfy under the Peer-Reviewed Journal Policy that replaced the discontinued CARE list — and the full, step-by-step route from manuscript to published paper at JMVRA.
9Submission steps
6Guideline checks
0Fee at submission
₹971 INRIndian author APC
Key takeaways
- Today’s UGC guidance asks for a peer-reviewed journal with a documented process, a real editorial board, published ethics and a transparent fee — not a list number.
- JMVRA is aligned with UGC’s Suggested Parameters for Choosing Peer-Reviewed Journals; it has no UGC journal number because the numbered lists ended before it was founded.
- The submission route at JMVRA: prepare to the template, submit online, editorial screening, peer review, revision if asked, then payment and publication.
- Charges: ₹971 INR for Indian authors and $41 USD for international authors, due only after acceptance. A Crossref DOI is an optional add-on priced on the DOI page.
UGC CARE (Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics) was set up to enhance academic integrity, prevent plagiarism and promote high-quality research publication practice in India. Publishing in a properly verified journal is what makes a paper count for PhD submissions, research project approvals, faculty promotions and academic credit evaluations.
Two questions matter here, and this page answers both: what does “properly verified” actually require today, and what is the real, complete process for getting a paper published. Neither needs a list — the first is a checklist you can apply yourself, and the second is a sequence any journal should be able to show you before you submit.
On “new 2025/2026 UGC CARE guidelines”: UGC discontinued the CARE journal listing on 3 October 2024 and replaced it with the Peer-Reviewed Journal Policy — suggestive parameters for identifying a credible journal, not a dated relisting. Read our sourced record, with the primary UGC notice linked, on this compliance page. The checklist below reflects that policy.
What a credible journal satisfies
Current Guidelines Checklist
Apply this to any journal, including JMVRA, before you submit.
A verifiable ISSN
Registered and checkable on the ISSN Portal, matching the journal exactly.
Honest indexing claims
Every claim — Scopus, Web of Science, DOAJ — checkable in that database’s own source list.
Transparent editorial policy
A named editorial board and an open, published review process.
Hidden or hidden-until-acceptance fees
The complete cost is disclosed before you submit, not revealed after.
Fake or unverifiable indexing logos
A logo with no matching record in the database’s own source list.
Check us against every one of those six. Then read the current call for papers and submit.
₹971 INR Indian authors · $41 USD international · payable after acceptanceManuscript to publication
The Complete Submission Process
Nine steps, expanded from a one-line summary into what each actually involves.
Prepare the manuscript
Format your paper as .DOC or .DOCX, in English, following the author template — references, structure and ethics declarations included.
Submit online
Submit through the official online submission page with complete author details, or by email with the manuscript and a clear subject line naming the paper.
Desk screening
The editorial office checks scope, formatting and completeness before the paper goes to reviewers.
Peer review
Subject-expert reviewers assess the manuscript. This is the step that takes the time it takes — a guaranteed same-day acceptance is not a sign of a fast journal, it is a sign of no review at all.
Decision notification
You receive acceptance, minor revision, major revision or rejection by email, with your paper registration ID for tracking.
Revise if requested
Address reviewer comments point by point and resubmit — a normal part of improving the work, not a setback.
Pay after acceptance
The publication charge becomes due only once your paper is accepted — never at submission, and never as a condition of being reviewed.
Submit the undertaking
Send the signed author declaration / undertaking form and any remaining documents to the editor.
Publication
Your paper is formatted, assigned a unique paper ID, and published online — with an optional CrossRef DOI and hard copy available separately.
That is the whole process, start to finish. When your manuscript is ready, this is where step two begins.
₹971 INR Indian authors · $41 USD international · payable after acceptanceStep 7, in full
Low Cost Publication at JMVRA
| Item | Indian authors | International authors |
|---|---|---|
| Publication charge — full paper online, up to 5 authors | ₹971 INR | $41 USD |
| CrossRef DOI registration (optional) | ₹300 | $20 |
| Hard copy of certificate (optional) | ₹500 | $100 |
| Each additional author beyond five | ₹500 | ₹500 |
What the base charge includes
- Online publication of the complete paper, for up to five authors
- An individual softcopy Certificate of Publication for every author
- A softcopy confirmation letter of publication
- Author and paper details handling, plus basic formatting
- A unique paper identification number and typesetting
- Listing in the JMVRA digital library and major indexing databases
- An automated citation generator for your published paper
- Lifetime availability in our digital repository and website
Read the live Publication Charges and Payment Terms rather than a copied figure, and pay only through the accounts listed there.
Keep reading
Related Guides
The complete submission process
Six stages in order. Payment sits fifth, after acceptance, which is itself a guideline a reader can check.
The guideline checklist, in one card
What the current UGC framework asks a reader to look for. Each line is a page on this site, and a test for any other journal.
- Peer review documented: model, reviewer role, outcomes and timelines on a policy page
- A named editorial board with checkable affiliations
- Ethics, plagiarism, correction and retraction policies published
- ISSN registered and shown consistently (2984-8911 for JMVRA)
- A complete fee schedule, with payment requested only after acceptance
- A dated, readable archive of past issues
Related articles and guides
Submit Your Paper to JMVRA
Peer-reviewed, open access, ISSN 2984-8911. Review before payment, low cost publication charges disclosed in full. Read the call for papers, then submit online.
Questions? [email protected]
What authors search for
Popular Search Terms
Guidelines & policy
Submission process
Low cost publication
Quality signals
Popular questions and answers
Guidelines & Submission FAQs
These visible answers also power the FAQ structured data on this page.
What are the current UGC CARE guidelines for choosing a journal?
There is no live UGC CARE list to check a journal against — UGC discontinued the listing on 3 October 2024. What replaced it is the Peer-Reviewed Journal Policy: a set of suggestive parameters — verified ISSN, documented peer review, publisher authenticity, honest indexing claims, disclosed fees and archiving — that an author checks directly rather than looking up on a list.
Do journals still need to be in Group I or Group II?
Group I and Group II describe the discontinued list era. There is no current classification to be listed under. Judge a journal by the parameters above instead.
What is the complete process to submit a paper?
Prepare the manuscript in .DOC or .DOCX; submit it through the official online submission page or by email with full author details; the editorial office screens it and sends it to peer review; you receive a decision — acceptance, revision or rejection — by email with a paper registration ID; revise if asked; pay the publication charge only after acceptance; submit the signed author undertaking form; the paper is then formatted, assigned a unique ID and published.
How do I track my submitted paper?
Use your paper registration ID to check status through the author login. Keep the confirmation email from submission — it carries that ID.
When do I pay the publication fee?
After your paper has been accepted through peer review, never at submission and never before review. Payments are non-refundable once an article has been accepted, so read the Payment Terms page in full before paying.
What does JMVRA charge?
JMVRA publishes its charges in full: ₹971 INR for Indian authors and $41 USD for international authors — covering online publication for up to five authors, individual certificates, a confirmation letter, formatting, a unique paper ID, digital library listing, a citation generator and lifetime availability. CrossRef DOI, printed certificates and hard copies are optional add-ons priced separately.
Is a guaranteed 1–2 day acceptance a good sign?
No — treat it as a warning sign, not a benefit. Meaningful peer review takes the time subject experts need to actually assess a manuscript. A journal promising acceptance on a timeline that leaves no room for real review has inverted the process.
What format should my manuscript be in?
.DOC or .DOCX, in English, following the journal’s author template for structure, references and formatting. Full guidance is on the Author Guidelines page.
Does indexing claim have to be verified before I submit?
It is worth doing either way. Search the journal’s ISSN in the database’s own source list — Scopus Sources, the Clarivate Master Journal List — rather than trusting a logo on the homepage.
Is a low publication fee a bad sign?
Not by itself. A fee mostly reflects the publisher’s operating model. A transparent, lean journal can fund genuine review and a permanent archive at a low cost — judge it by what it delivers and whether the full amount is disclosed upfront, not by the number alone.
Where do I submit my paper?
Read the current call for papers to confirm scope, article types and deadlines, then submit through the official online submission page.
Question not answered here? Email [email protected] before you submit — or go straight to the current call for papers.
₹971 INR Indian authors · $41 USD international · payable after acceptance
