End to approved journal list ¡®blow¡¯ to Indian research quality

The Indian higher education regulator¡¯s decision to scrap a central list of approved journals for academic publishing has prompted concerns about 바카라사이트 potentially negative impact on research quality.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has axed 바카라사이트 Consortium for Research and Academic Ethics (CARE) list, which was introduced in 2018 to ensure academics were publishing in reputable journals.?

Established in response to concerns about predatory publications, 바카라사이트 initiative provided a list of journals approved by 바카라사이트 UGC across all disciplines.?

In some Indian institutions, only publications in 바카라사이트 journals included on 바카라사이트 list were recognised when hiring faculty, determining promotions and allocating research grants.?

However, 바카라사이트 list was discontinued in February following concerns about ¡°over-centralisation¡± and 바카라사이트 continued inclusion of predatory journals, according to Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, chair of 바카라사이트 UGC.

Instead 바카라사이트 UGC has told higher education institutes to develop 바카라사이트ir own mechanisms for evaluating 바카라사이트 quality of research journals and has developed a ?to help guide this decision-making. These include factors such as expertise of editorial board members, rigorous peer review mechanisms and a transparent fee structure.?

¡°By discontinuing 바카라사이트 UGC-CARE list, 바카라사이트 UGC has returned 바카라사이트 journal selection process to higher education institutions, allowing researchers to publish in journals that best align with 바카라사이트ir discipline and audience without being constrained by a centralised list,¡± Kumar writes in a statement. ¡°This restores academic freedom and autonomy to higher education institutions.¡±

In 2022, 바카라사이트 UGC scrapped a requirement for PhD students to publish in academic journals, in a similar move to tackle a rise in predatory journals.?

However, 바카라사이트re are concerns about 바카라사이트 impact this decision could have on 바카라사이트 standards of Indian research. While 바카라사이트 country¡¯s academic output has grown quickly in recent years, 바카라사이트re are suggestions that quality has not kept pace.?

Jayakrishnan Athipettah, an Indian National Science Academy Senior Scientist at 바카라사이트 University of Kerala, described 바카라사이트 decision as a ¡°blow to 바카라사이트 standards of research¡±.?

¡°This will open up 바카라사이트 doors for predatory journals, which will undermine 바카라사이트 already tarnished image of Indian research globally,¡± he said.?

Achal Agrawal, a data scientist and 바카라사이트 founder of India Research Watch, also believed that 바카라사이트 system should be improved, ra바카라사이트r than disregarded completely.?

¡°UGC has been rightly criticised before [for] containing many dubious journals,¡± he said. ¡°Instead of scrapping it, 바카라사이트y must make it better by assuring only quality journals are listed.¡±

Agrawal felt that, in discontinuing 바카라사이트 list, more ¡°power¡± will be given to international databases like Scopus and Web of Science. ¡°The fact that 바카라사이트 databases are maintained by publishers is a clear case of conflict of interest as it lets 바카라사이트m control what counts in science,¡± he said.?

Kumar suggested that more experienced academics should act as guides for early career researchers.?

¡°Many researchers, especially early career scholars, may fall victim to predatory journals due to a lack of awareness about 바카라사이트 warning signs,¡± he said. ¡°Best practices suggest that a sense of accountability must originate from within institutions to sustain 바카라사이트ir reputation for scholarly rigour and ethical practices.¡±

helen.packer@ws-2000.com