1
Scope match
Your manuscript topic and article type fit the journal’s published aims and scope.
Practical journal verification guide
UGC CARE and Low-Cost Journals in India
Affordable publishing can be credible—but a low fee, DOI badge or old UGC CARE claim is never enough on its own. Use this evidence-first checklist before you submit or pay.
If you are a student, PhD scholar, researcher or faculty member searching for an affordable journal in India, you will repeatedly see phrases such as “UGC CARE,” “peer reviewed,” “Scopus indexed,” “DOI” and “impact factor.” They sound reassuring, but each has a different meaning—and every important claim should be verified independently.
Publication fees also vary widely. Some journals are supported by universities or societies, some charge authors, and others combine subscriptions, sponsorships and article-processing charges. A modest fee is not automatically suspicious; an expensive fee is not automatically evidence of quality. What matters is whether the journal provides a transparent editorial service, preserves the scholarly record and is suitable for your academic purpose.
Use this guide for any journal, including JMVRA. A responsible decision should survive checks outside the journal’s own website.
The current position
What “UGC CARE Approved” Means Today
The phrase now needs historical context, not a fresh approval assumption.
The UGC-CARE list was discontinued in October 2024
UGC’s public notice following its 584th meeting discontinued the listing framework and moved toward suggestive parameters for selecting peer-reviewed journals. Consequently, authors should not assume that an old CARE-list appearance operates as a current, continuing UGC certification.
What to do now: assess the journal’s peer review, editorial transparency, ethics, fees, ownership, identifiers and archive; then obtain the latest written rule from the institution that will evaluate your publication.
| Question | Weak approach | Better evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Is the journal acceptable? | Trust an old “UGC approved” badge | Check current institutional rules and the journal’s verifiable practices |
| Is it indexed? | Trust logos on the homepage | Search the official source list by title and ISSN |
| Is peer review genuine? | Rely on the words “peer reviewed” | Read the policy, timeline, reviewer criteria and published corrections |
| Is the fee fair? | Compare only the headline price | Confirm the total charge, inclusions, taxes, timing and refund terms |
UGC CARE Approved Parameters Aligned
Where JMVRA stands today
JMVRA is a Transparent, Peer-Reviewed, Open Access Journal (Refereed Journal). Following the discontinuation of the UGC and UGC-CARE journal listing, and in alignment with the latest UGC-CARE recommendations and guidelines, JMVRA is aligned with UGC’s Suggested Parameters for Choosing Peer-Reviewed Journals.
No UGC journal number is quoted: UGC no longer maintains a journal list, so none exists for a journal founded after 2019. Verify the journal through its ISSN record, review policy, archive and fee page instead. UGC public notice (PDF)
Save this checklist
10 Checks Before Submitting Your Research Paper
Complete the same checks for every journal—whether found through search, social media, a message group or a colleague.
2
Recent archive
Several recent papers open correctly and show complete author, reference and publication information.
3
Editorial board
Editors are named, their affiliations are shown, and their identities can be independently checked.
4
Peer review
The journal explains its review model, reviewer role, revision process and final decision authority.
5
Indexing evidence
Each indexing claim is confirmed in the database’s own source list—not only by a logo.
6
DOI verification
Published DOI links resolve correctly and their metadata matches the article.
7
Complete cost
The total fee, taxes, optional services, payment stage and refund terms are clear.
8
Publishing ethics
Policies cover plagiarism, authorship, conflicts, corrections, retractions and complaints.
9
Rights and licence
You understand who keeps copyright and what readers may do with the published work.
10
Institutional acceptance
Your university, department or funder confirms that the journal meets your purpose.
9–10Strong initial evidence
6–8Clarify missing evidence
0–5Pause before submitting
This score is a screening aid, not accreditation or a guarantee of institutional acceptance.
Budget wisely
How Much Does Journal Publication Cost in India?
There is no universal Indian publication fee.
Charges depend on the publishing model, subject, article type, production work, open-access licence, print choices and optional author services. Instead of asking only “Which journal is cheapest?”, ask what the quoted amount includes and when payment becomes due.
Confirm the complete price in writing
- Article-processing or publication charge
- GST or other applicable taxes
- DOI-related or metadata charges, if separate
- Printed copy, certificate or courier charges
- Optional language, formatting or expedited services
- Payment stage and refund/cancellation conditions
For JMVRA: fees can change, so this article does not freeze a rupee figure in evergreen copy. Check the live Publication Charges page and Payment Terms before submission. Pay only through the official JMVRA process.
Be cautious if charges appear only after acceptance, a personal payment account is used, or the journal pressures you to pay immediately. Equally, do not treat a higher fee as evidence of stronger review. Price and quality must be assessed separately.
From draft to record
How a Transparent Publication Process Works
Exact workflows vary, but authors should be able to see these stages.
Prepare
Match scope, author guidelines, reference style, disclosures and research-ethics requirements.
Submit
Use the official submission channel and retain confirmation, manuscript version and correspondence.
Editorial screening
Editors check completeness, scope, originality, ethics and baseline suitability for external review.
Peer review
Qualified reviewers assess originality, method, analysis, clarity, references and contribution.
Revise
Authors answer comments point by point and explain changes or reasoned disagreements.
Editorial decision
The outcome may be acceptance, minor revision, major revision or rejection.
Payment & production
After acceptance, applicable charges, proofs and publication forms are handled transparently.
Publish & preserve
The final article, metadata, persistent identifiers and correction mechanisms become accessible.
Reality check: rapid editorial handling is possible, but a guaranteed acceptance or a promised publication time that leaves no room for meaningful review is a warning sign.
The same stages, as one line
Do not mix these up
DOI, Indexing and Impact Factor Are Different
DOI
A Digital Object Identifier is a persistent identifier for a digital object. A working DOI helps identification and linking, but does not certify research quality or database coverage.
Indexing
Databases and discovery services have different purposes and selection rules. Always ask “indexed where?” and verify the journal by title and ISSN on the provider’s official site.
Impact metrics
Clarivate’s Journal Impact Factor is a specific metric in Journal Citation Reports. Other scores must be named with their provider and methodology, not presented as equivalent.
Claims that prove little alone
- A DOI logo
- “Indexed in many databases”
- An unnamed impact-factor number
- A similarity percentage without context
- An old UGC CARE screenshot
VS
Evidence you can verify
- A DOI resolving to matching metadata
- An official database source record
- A named metric and provider
- A detailed ethics and screening policy
- Your institution’s current written rule
Editorial due diligence
Peer Review, Ethics and the Scholarly Record
What transparent peer review should explain
The policy should identify whether review is single-blind, double-blind, open or another stated model; how reviewers are selected; how conflicts are managed; what reviewers assess; how revisions work; and who makes the final decision. “Transparent” does not necessarily mean publishing reviewer names or reports—it means authors can understand the real process and responsibilities.
Policies should work together
Look beyond an ethics badge. Read the journal’s rules on plagiarism and duplicate submission, authorship and contributorship, conflicts of interest, human or animal research, data availability, AI use, complaints, corrections and retractions. The archive should show that the publisher can correct the record when needed.
Check copyright before acceptance
Open access describes reader access, not one universal copyright arrangement. Confirm whether authors retain copyright, which licence applies, how reuse is attributed and whether repository deposit is permitted. Save a copy of the terms that applied when you submitted.
Fit before fee
Is a Low-Cost Journal Right for Your Paper?
Start with the purpose of the publication. A journal may be credible and still be the wrong venue for your paper, audience or institutional requirement.
- Does the journal regularly publish work in your field?
- Does your university require a specific database or journal category?
- Would a specialist title reach a more relevant readership?
- Is the stated review schedule realistic for your deadline?
- Do the licence and open-access terms meet funder requirements?
- Can you afford the complete, confirmed cost?
- Will the publication count for the degree, promotion, grant or evaluation concerned?
If the paper is connected to a PhD submission, promotion or formal evaluation, ask the deciding office before paying. Keep its response with your publication records.
Quick answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a current UGC CARE approved journal list?
UGC discontinued the UGC-CARE listing framework in October 2024. Authors should use the current UGC suggestive parameters and confirm the specific rules of their university or authority rather than treating an old listing as current approval.
Is a low-cost journal automatically low quality?
No. Price alone does not prove quality or lack of quality. Evaluate peer review, editorial identity, ethics, archives, indexing claims, fees and institutional acceptance together.
Does a DOI mean that a paper is indexed in Scopus or Web of Science?
No. A DOI is a persistent identifier. It does not itself establish quality or inclusion in any particular indexing database. Verify coverage in each database directly.
Does Google Scholar visibility prove journal quality?
No. Google Scholar is a broad discovery service. Visibility there is not the same as selection by a curated citation database, and it does not certify peer-review quality.
When should a publication fee be paid?
Follow the journal’s published payment policy. For JMVRA, authors should consult the current publication-charge page and payment terms; never pay an unofficial account or contact.
What should I confirm before submitting for a PhD or promotion?
Ask your university, department, research cell or other deciding authority for its current written requirements. Journal suitability for one purpose does not guarantee acceptance for another.
Can an old UGC CARE claim still be used as proof?
An archived status may be described only with its historical date and context. It should not be presented as a current UGC endorsement after the list was discontinued.
Primary references
Verify at the Source
- UGC Public Notice on discontinuation of the UGC-CARE listing
- University Grants Commission official website
- ISSN Portal for journal-title and ISSN checks
- Crossref Metadata Search for DOI metadata checks
- Scopus Sources and Clarivate Master Journal List for direct coverage verification
External databases and institutional rules change. Re-check them at the time you submit; this guide is educational information, not a certification or guarantee.
Read the originals, not a summary
UGC Circulars & Public Notices
Every UGC notice and list held on this site, with the file size read from the document itself. Each one is embedded below — no click needed.
Journals Removed from the UGC-Approved List0. removed list 2018.pdf · 2018 · 3.5 MB
Old UGC Approved Journals List1. 2019 Old UGC Approved Journals List.pdf · 2019 · 5.5 MB
UGC Notice establishing UGC-CARE2. UGC Notice – 28 Nov 2018.pdf · 28 November 2018 · 477 KB
UGC CARE Notice3. UGC CARE Notice – 14 Jan 2019.pdf · 14 January 2019 · 2.8 MB
Final UGC-CARE List4. Final UGC-CARE List – 10 Feb 2025.pdf · as on 10 February 2025 · 23.7 MB
UGC Public Notice discontinuing CARE5. UGC Public Notice – 11 Feb 2025.pdf · 11 February 2025 · 558 KB
UGC Public Notice confirming discontinuation6. UGC Public Notice – 16 July 2025.pdf · 16 July 2025 · 395 KB
UGC document on self-plagiarism2284767_self-plagiarism001.pdf · UGC · 371 KB
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Apply the checklist to us
JMVRA Journal Details
Every item this guide tells you to verify, stated here for this journal so you can check it against the policy pages rather than take it on trust.
Journal nameJournal of Modern and Versatile Research Approach
AbbreviationJMVRA
ISSN2984-8911
PublisherJMVRA Publication
Established2023
Access modelOpen Access — freely readable, no subscription
Review modelTransparent, peer-reviewed, refereed
Contact[email protected]
Publication charge₹971 INR Indian authors · $41 USD international — payable only after acceptance
JMVRA is a Transparent, Peer-Reviewed, Open Access Journal (Refereed Journal). Following the discontinuation of UGC and UGC-CARE journal listing, JMVRA is aligned with UGC’s Suggested Parameters for Choosing Peer-Reviewed Journals.
Since the CARE listing was discontinued on 3 October 2024 there is no current list for any journal to appear on. What exists instead is a published set of parameters, and each of the ones below is evidenced on this site — check them the same way this guide tells you to check any journal.
Transparent peer reviewDeclared editorial boardPublished ethics policyPlagiarism & similarity screeningOpen access licensingISSN 2984-8911Crossref DOIDisclosed chargesCorrections & retractions policy
See how JMVRA meets each parameter · Peer review policy · Editorial board · Publication ethics · Open access · DOI · Charges
Ready to Evaluate JMVRA?
Apply every check in this guide to us. Review our scope, peer-review policy, editorial board, archive, ethics and current charges before you decide.
