-Baishali Mukherjee
In 2018, the University Grants Commission (UGC) created the University Grants Commission-Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics (UGC-CARE) journal list to elevate research work in various fields in the country to international standards. This list was created with the country’s college and university researchers and teachers in mind. The list also helped the academia in various ways in their field of work. However, according to a February 12 directive, the University Grants Commission (UGC) will no longer centrally intervene in this process.
Acknowledging several shortcomings, the UGC has announced the discontinuation of this journal list. From now on, regional universities in the country will be responsible for preparing their own journal lists with high-quality research papers. The commission has also specified the criteria that will be used to evaluate research work for journal publication.
The commission has stated that over the past few years, there have been several shortcomings in the selection of research papers for the UGC-CARE journal list. They have faced criticism for the system becoming excessively centralized. As a result, along with high-quality research papers, lower-quality work also found a place in the list, indicating lapses in the evaluation of research quality. Moreover, several high-quality research papers published in regional languages were excluded from the list, leading to allegations of a lack of transparency. To address these issues, the system is being decentralized. As part of this change, the responsibility of preparing journal lists has been assigned to regional higher education institutions.
A segment of the country’s academic community believes that the UGC has failed to properly implement the original purpose of the UGC-CARE journal list in recent years. While acknowledging this failure is a positive step, many argue that by decentralizing the system and shifting the responsibility to colleges and universities, the UGC is attempting to evade accountability. Additionally, there is widespread concern that the UGC has ceased funding educational institutions for many essential academic activities. In this context, if institutions are also expected to cover the costs of creating and maintaining the journal list, it will pose a significant challenge. Critics argue that the UGC is intentionally shirking its responsibilities.
Notably, the commission has stated that educational institutions will need to create a website for compiling the journal list, which requires purchasing a domain. An editorial board will then be formed to select high-quality research papers. This board will be responsible for assessing the standard of the research papers, ensuring adherence to ethical guidelines, and evaluating the purpose and subject matter of the research.
To implement this process, institutions must form a governing board, recruit proofreaders, editors, and reviewers, and manage related expenses. However, the UGC has yet to clarify whether it will offer financial support for these costs. Many academics in the country believe that the UGC’s recent actions are riddled with inconsistencies and contradictions. While claiming to advance higher education, it is making arbitrary decisions. On one side, the UGC withholds funding, and on the other, it imposes numerous directives that place higher education institutions under significant strain.
Also read: UGC draft regulations “undemocratic,” against federal structure
Posted in National, News
