The list of the so-called approved journals, issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC), has led to confusion among serious research scholars. The UGC, however, has clarified that the articles published in different prestigious publications, including Forward Press, prior to 2 May 2018, will continue to be valid. The old serial numbers (allocated before 2 May 2018) of these publications, which are available on the UGC website, can be used for the purpose.
Academics and intellectuals have long been opposing the new list of UGC approved journals.
The UGC has removed the print edition of Forward Press (ISSN: 23489286) from its list of approved journals and has not included its online edition (ISSN: 2456-7558) in the list. Forward Press was a monthly print magazine from May 2009 to June 2016. Since then, it is being published as an online magazine. What is needed is that the UGC should include the online edition of Forward Press (ISSN: 2456-7558) and other high-quality publications in its list of approved journals.
Over the past couple of months, different universities have issued advertisements for recruitment of assistant and associate professors. Many brilliant writers, whose research papers on Dalit, tribal and OBC issues, were published in Forward Press, are also applicants for the posts. They have to append the list of their published articles to their applications. The UGC order had confused them.
The Issue
On 2 May 2018, the UGC issued a notification, dropping more than 4,000 titles from its approved list of journals citing their below-par standards. The reality, however, was just the opposite. It was the quality of the magazines still on the list that was under a cloud. The magazines that diligently published original research papers were removed from the list due to technical reasons. When faced with opposition, the UGC issued a clarification: “Removal of any magazine from the list does not necessarily mean that it is of a low standard and it might have been done for want of pertinent information, including details about the editorial board, indexing, year of launch of the magazine, frequency and regularity of publication etc.”
The UGC, in its latest notification, has said that if any article was published or approved for publication on or before 2 May 2018 in a magazine that was dropped from the list of approved journals then it will be valid and marks will be awarded for appointments and promotions on its basis. The UGC has also said that these magazines could be included in the list in the future but for that, recommendation from a university would be mandatory. Recently, the UGC had issued a format to the universities for making recommendations regarding approval of journals.
How mechanically the list of approved journals was prepared is evident from the following list of some of the approved and disapproved journals related to Hindi literature. Many prestigious magazines were dropped from the list while many little-known ones continued to be on it.
| Dropped from list | Approved by UGC |
|---|---|
| Tadbhav | Sheetal Vani |
| Pahal | Panchsheel Shodh Sameeksha |
| Hans | Rashtrasevak |
| Forward Press | Kala Sankhya Shodh Patrika |
| Kathadesh | Kashika |
| Naya Gyanodaya | Shabd Shikhar |
| Naya Path | Shodhshree |
| Udhbhavna | Akhil Geet Shodh Drishti |
| Mantavya | Vindhya Bharati |
The UGC has said that the magazines that have been dropped from the list can be re-included if they obtain recommendations from universities. But when and how this will happen and who will make good the loss young researchers will suffer in the intervening period is anybody’s guess.
