India’s Academic Publishing Landscape Shifts as Reliance on Major Databases Evolves

Indian higher education institutions and researchers face a pivotal moment in scholarly communication. The discontinuation of the University Grants Commission’s Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics (UGC-CARE) list has redirected attention toward established international indexing platforms, prompting universities, colleges, and individual scholars to explore a broader range of options for journal visibility and recognition.

This transition affects faculty promotions, research assessments, and the overall ecosystem of academic output from institutions across the country. With millions of students and researchers engaged in higher education, the choice of where to publish carries significant weight for career progression and institutional reputation.

Background on Journal Indexing in Indian Academia

Scholarly journals serve as the primary vehicle for disseminating research findings from Indian universities and colleges. Indexing in reputable databases enhances discoverability, citation potential, and credibility. For decades, Indian academics relied on a combination of national and international lists to guide publication decisions.

The UGC-CARE list, introduced in 2018, aimed to provide a curated set of quality journals meeting specific ethical and editorial standards. Group I journals underwent direct UGC review, while Group II automatically included those indexed in globally recognised databases such as Scopus or Web of Science. Following its discontinuation, evaluation criteria have shifted toward verifiable indexing in established platforms, aligning Indian practices more closely with international norms.

This change reflects broader efforts by the Ministry of Education and regulatory bodies to strengthen research integrity while addressing concerns over predatory publishing practices that have historically affected some Indian journals.

The Challenges of Over-Reliance on a Single Database

Scopus, managed by Elsevier, indexes tens of thousands of peer-reviewed journals across disciplines and remains one of the most widely used citation databases globally. Its comprehensive coverage, citation metrics, and integration with institutional evaluation systems make it attractive for Indian researchers seeking international recognition.

However, dependence on any single platform raises concerns. Subscription and article processing charges can strain institutional budgets, particularly at smaller colleges and state universities. Additionally, coverage gaps exist for certain regional or emerging fields prominent in Indian scholarship. Stakeholders, including faculty associations and research administrators, have noted that this concentration of influence in one commercial entity may limit diversity in publishing choices.

Indian researchers have historically spent substantial sums on publication fees for indexed journals, highlighting the financial pressures within the system.

Web of Science as a Leading Alternative

Web of Science, operated by Clarivate, offers another rigorous multidisciplinary index covering sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. It includes specialised collections such as the Science Citation Index Expanded and provides detailed citation analysis tools valued by universities for research assessment exercises.

Many Indian institutions already recognise publications indexed in Web of Science for promotions and funding applications. Its stricter selection criteria appeal to those prioritising high-impact outlets. Researchers at premier institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and central universities frequently target journals listed here to build international profiles.

Compared with broader but less selective databases, Web of Science emphasises established quality benchmarks that align with the goals of India’s National Education Policy 2020 for elevating research standards.

DOAJ and the Push for Open Access

The Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) provides free access to thousands of peer-reviewed, open-access journals from around the world. It emphasises transparency, quality control, and accessibility without paywalls, making it particularly relevant for Indian scholars advocating equitable knowledge dissemination.

Indian open-access initiatives benefit from DOAJ indexing, which supports visibility for journals published by universities and research councils. Many state universities and colleges now encourage submissions to DOAJ-listed titles to reduce costs associated with traditional subscription models.

This platform aligns with global trends toward open science and helps address equity issues in academic publishing, where researchers from developing regions often face barriers to accessing or publishing in high-cost journals.

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Google Scholar and Broad Discoverability

Google Scholar serves as a widely accessible search engine indexing scholarly literature, including journal articles, theses, books, and conference papers. Its free nature and extensive coverage make it an essential tool for Indian academics, especially those at resource-constrained institutions.

While not a curated index like Scopus or Web of Science, Google Scholar offers strong visibility and citation tracking. Many Indian journals maintain active profiles here, and researchers use it to monitor impact. It complements other databases by capturing a wider range of outputs, including preprints and regional publications.

University libraries across India promote Google Scholar alongside institutional repositories to maximise the reach of faculty and student research.

Indian-Specific Resources: Indian Citation Index and INFLIBNET

The Indian Citation Index (ICI) focuses specifically on Indian scholarly journals across disciplines, covering approximately 1,000 titles in sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. It provides metrics tailored to the national context and supports the visibility of domestic publications.

INFLIBNET Centre, under the University Grants Commission, operates platforms like Shodhganga for electronic theses and dissertations. These national repositories enhance access to Indian research outputs and serve as important complements to international indexes.

Other initiatives, such as the Indian Open Index Initiative and subject-specific repositories like Krishikosh for agricultural sciences, further strengthen the infrastructure for Indian scholarly communication. These resources help preserve and promote research that might otherwise receive limited international attention.

Specialised Databases for Disciplines

PubMed, maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, excels for biomedical and life sciences research. Indian medical colleges and health sciences universities frequently target PubMed-indexed journals for their rigorous standards and global reach.

IEEE Xplore serves engineering, computer science, and electronics fields, indexing conference proceedings and journals relevant to India’s growing technology sector. Institutions such as the IITs and National Institutes of Technology maintain strong engagement with this database.

OpenAlex emerges as a newer, open alternative offering broad coverage and analytics, appealing to researchers seeking cost-effective options with expanding international adoption.

Evaluating and Selecting Appropriate Indexes

Researchers and administrators should assess databases based on coverage, quality standards, citation accuracy, update frequency, search capabilities, and global representation. Discipline-specific needs play a key role: biomedical work benefits from PubMed, while multidisciplinary or regional studies may suit Google Scholar or ICI.

Verification remains essential. Authors must confirm indexing claims directly on official database websites rather than relying solely on journal self-descriptions. This practice helps avoid predatory outlets that falsely advertise inclusion.

Indian universities increasingly incorporate training on database evaluation into research methodology programmes to equip early-career scholars and PhD candidates with informed decision-making skills.

Impacts on Indian Higher Education Institutions

The evolving indexing landscape influences faculty recruitment, tenure decisions, and funding allocations at universities and colleges nationwide. Institutions with stronger research profiles, such as those designated as Institutes of Eminence, often maintain subscriptions to multiple databases to support their communities.

Smaller colleges and regional universities face greater challenges in accessing paid platforms, underscoring the value of free or low-cost alternatives. Collaborative efforts through consortia could help bridge these gaps.

Overall, diversification of indexing options supports the goals of inclusive, high-quality research output aligned with national development priorities.

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Future Outlook and Recommendations

As Indian higher education continues to expand, a balanced approach to journal indexing will prove vital. Encouraging publications across reputable platforms—international and national—can enhance both global competitiveness and domestic knowledge production.

Stakeholders recommend that universities develop clear guidelines incorporating multiple indexes, invest in open-access infrastructure, and support training programmes. Regulatory bodies may further refine evaluation parameters to promote quality without undue reliance on any single commercial provider.

By embracing a diverse set of indexing options, India’s scholarly community stands to increase the visibility, accessibility, and impact of its research contributions.

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