SCI/SCIE, Scopus and UGC-CARE are not three equivalent "levels" of the same ranking system, even though they're constantly written about that way. SCI/SCIE is a citation index run by Clarivate. Scopus is a separate abstract-and-citation database run by Elsevier. UGC-CARE was a national reference list run by India's University Grants Commission — and as of 2025, it's no longer an active, maintained list at all. Comparing them like three competing "grades" is where most confusion starts.
If you're choosing where to publish, or trying to work out whether a journal "counts," you need to know what each of these actually is, what changed with UGC-CARE, and how to verify a journal yourself rather than trusting a claim on its homepage.
SCIE
Clarivate
Elsevier
CARE
Discontinued 2025
Scopus vs SCI vs UGC-CARE journals comparison for researchers
What is the difference between SCI/SCIE, Scopus and UGC-CARE?
SCI/SCIE (Science Citation Index Expanded) is part of Clarivate's Web of Science Core Collection and is generally viewed as a high-prestige, selective citation index. Scopus is Elsevier's broader multidisciplinary database, with its own metrics (CiteScore, SJR, SNIP). UGC-CARE was India's own journal-reference mechanism from 2019–2025; the UGC formally discontinued active maintenance of the list through public notices dated 11 February 2025 and 16 July 2025, and replaced it with non-list "Suggestive Parameters" for evaluating journals.
- SCI/SCIE = Clarivate's Web of Science citation index (Journal Impact Factor)
- Scopus = Elsevier's abstract-and-citation database (CiteScore, SJR, SNIP)
- UGC-CARE = a discontinued Indian reference mechanism, not a current index
- A journal can be indexed in SCI/SCIE, Scopus, both, or neither
- Being on the old UGC-CARE list no longer means anything is currently verified by UGC
Key Facts
SCI/SCIE
- ✓ Run by Clarivate
- ✓ Part of Web of Science Core Collection
- ✓ A citation index, not a database of everything
- ✓ Feeds the Journal Impact Factor (JIF)
Scopus
- ✓ Run by Elsevier
- ✓ Abstract & citation database
- ✓ Feeds CiteScore, SJR and SNIP
- ✓ Broad, multidisciplinary coverage
UGC-CARE
- ✓ India's academic reference mechanism
- ✓ Active maintenance discontinued
- ✓ Frozen historical reference list only
- ✓ Current university rules now matter most
Important 2026 point
UGC-CARE should NOT be treated as a currently maintained approval list.
SCI vs Scopus vs UGC-CARE at a Glance
| Feature | SCI/SCIE | Scopus | UGC-CARE |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A citation index within Clarivate's Web of Science Core Collection | An abstract & citation database of peer-reviewed literature | A discontinued Indian reference mechanism for journal credibility |
| Organization | Clarivate | Elsevier | University Grants Commission (India) |
| Coverage | Science and engineering journals meeting Clarivate's selection criteria | Multidisciplinary; broader than Web of Science in journal count | Was limited to journals submitted or reviewed under the CARE process |
| Geographic reach | Global | Global | India-specific |
| Citation tracking | Yes — feeds Journal Impact Factor (JIF) | Yes — feeds CiteScore, SJR and SNIP | No independent citation metric |
| Major metrics | Journal Impact Factor (via Journal Citation Reports) | CiteScore, SJR, SNIP and Scopus quartiles | None — it was a listing, not a metric |
| Current status (2026) | Actively maintained | Actively maintained | Discontinued as an active list since February 2025; a frozen 1,474-journal reference list remains for historical purposes only |
| Typical use | Prestige benchmark for STEM research and some institutional requirements | Broad visibility benchmark; widely used for institutional targets | Was used for PhD and promotion checks in India; now replaced by UGC's non-list "Suggestive Parameters" |
| Verification method | Clarivate Master Journal List | Scopus Sources list | UGC's frozen reference list (historical only) plus current university regulations |
| Key caution | ESCI ≠ SCIE — check the exact index | Indexing alone does not guarantee CiteScore or high quality | Do not treat old CARE presence as a live 2026 approval |
SCI/SCIE
What it is
A citation index within Clarivate's Web of Science Core Collection.
Organization
Clarivate
Coverage
Science and engineering journals meeting Clarivate's selection criteria.
Geographic reach
Global
Citation tracking
Yes — feeds Journal Impact Factor (JIF).
Major metrics
Journal Impact Factor via Journal Citation Reports.
Current status (2026)
Actively maintained.
Typical use
Prestige benchmark for STEM research and some institutional requirements.
Verification
Clarivate Master Journal List.
Key caution
ESCI ≠ SCIE — check the exact index.
Scopus
What it is
An abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature.
Organization
Elsevier
Coverage
Multidisciplinary; broader than Web of Science in journal count.
Geographic reach
Global
Citation tracking
Yes — feeds CiteScore, SJR and SNIP.
Major metrics
CiteScore, SJR, SNIP and Scopus quartiles.
Current status (2026)
Actively maintained.
Typical use
Broad visibility benchmark; widely used for institutional targets.
Verification
Scopus Sources list.
Key caution
Indexing alone does not guarantee CiteScore or high quality.
UGC-CARE
What it is
A discontinued Indian reference mechanism for journal credibility.
Organization
University Grants Commission (India)
Coverage
Was limited to journals submitted or reviewed under the CARE process.
Geographic reach
India-specific
Citation tracking
No independent citation metric.
Major metrics
None — it was a listing, not a metric.
Current status (2026)
Discontinued as an active list since February 2025. A frozen 1,474-journal reference list remains for historical purposes only.
Typical use
Was used for PhD and promotion checks in India; now replaced by UGC's non-list "Suggestive Parameters".
Verification
UGC's frozen reference list (historical only) plus current university regulations.
Key caution
Do not treat old CARE presence as a live 2026 approval.
What Is SCI or SCIE?
SCI (Science Citation Index) is the original, smaller citation index Clarivate later expanded into SCIE (Science Citation Index Expanded), which now sits inside the Web of Science Core Collection alongside SSCI (social sciences), AHCI (arts & humanities) and ESCI (an entry-level index for journals under evaluation). Most people who say "SCI journal" today actually mean an SCIE-indexed journal.
The Web of Science Core Collection is the umbrella product; SCIE is one of several indexes inside it. This distinction matters because a journal being "in Web of Science" doesn't automatically mean it's in SCIE — it could instead sit in ESCI, which is a real Core Collection index but is not the same tier as SCIE, SSCI or AHCI. Researchers routinely use "SCI journal" as informal shorthand for SCIE because the original SCI (print-era) has effectively been absorbed into the expanded electronic version. When precision matters — for a CV, a fellowship application, or a departmental requirement — check the specific index (SCIE, SSCI, AHCI or ESCI) on Clarivate's Master Journal List rather than relying on the loose "SCI" label a journal uses in its own marketing.
What Is Scopus?
Scopus is Elsevier's abstract-and-citation database covering a broader, more multidisciplinary set of peer-reviewed journals, books and conference proceedings than Web of Science. Its own metrics — CiteScore, SJR (SCImago Journal Rank) and SNIP (Source Normalized Impact per Paper) — are calculated differently from Clarivate's Journal Impact Factor and shouldn't be treated as interchangeable with it.
Scopus assigns journals to subject categories and quartiles (Q1–Q4) based on these metrics, which is why "Scopus Q1 journal" has become shorthand for high standing within a field. But Scopus indexing itself is not a single quality stamp: coverage is broad enough that Scopus-indexed journals vary widely in selectivity, citation performance and reputation. A journal can be genuinely Scopus-indexed and still sit in a low quartile, publish in a niche field with naturally low citation volume, or in rarer cases have its indexing later discontinued by Elsevier for quality concerns. Indexing status and journal quality are related but not identical questions.
What Was UGC-CARE?
UGC-CARE (Consortium for Academic and Research Ethics) was launched by India's University Grants Commission in 2018–2019 to give Indian institutions a single reference list of journals considered credible for faculty promotion, PhD evaluation and academic activities, organized into Group I and Group II. The UGC discontinued active maintenance of this list through a decision taken at its 584th meeting (3 October 2024) and formalized in public notices dated 11 February 2025 and 16 July 2025.
UGC-CARE was created after concerns that predatory and low-quality journals were slipping into recognized use across Indian academia. For several years it functioned as the default checklist for scholars and administrators. That changed in 2024–2025: an expert committee reviewed how the CARE mechanism had operated since 2019, and the Commission decided to stop actively adding, removing or updating journals on the list. In its 595th meeting (24 June 2025), the UGC approved a replacement approach — "Suggestive Parameters for choosing Peer-Reviewed Journals" — and uploaded a frozen reference list of 1,474 journals as they stood on 10 February 2025, explicitly for historical reference. The UGC has been clear that inclusion on this frozen list does not imply current validation or endorsement.
The single most important fact this article can give you
If a journal's marketing says "UGC-CARE listed," that claim may describe a status that existed before February 2025 and is no longer being actively verified by UGC at all. For any current decision — PhD submission, faculty recruitment, promotion — the operative requirement now sits with your specific university's or HEI's current regulations, not with the old CARE list.
SCI / SCIE
Clarivate index
Active, JIF
Scopus
Elsevier database
Active, CiteScore
UGC-CARE
Frozen since 2025
Historical only
SCI, Scopus and UGC-CARE journal indexing compared side by side
SCI vs Scopus vs UGC-CARE — Key Differences
Different organizations, different purposes. SCI/SCIE is Clarivate's citation index; Scopus is Elsevier's database; UGC-CARE was a national policy instrument, not an international index.
Different scope. SCI/SCIE and Scopus are global and multidisciplinary. UGC-CARE only ever covered journals reviewed for Indian academic use.
Different status in 2026. SCI/SCIE and Scopus are both live, continuously updated products. UGC-CARE is not — it is a discontinued mechanism with a frozen, non-updated reference list.
Different metrics. SCI/SCIE feeds the Journal Impact Factor; Scopus feeds CiteScore, SJR and SNIP; UGC-CARE never had its own citation metric — it was a list, not a ranking system.
Different verification path. You check SCI/SCIE and Scopus status directly with the database owner. You cannot "check UGC-CARE status" in the same way anymore — you check your institution's current requirements instead.
Not sure whether Scopus, SCI/SCIE or another journal fits your PhD requirement?
Get expert guidance before you submit your manuscript. Our team helps you match your research field, subject area and university regulations to a journal that actually fits — through journal publication and submission support .
Which Is Better: SCI, Scopus or UGC-CARE?
There is no single universal winner — it depends on your goal, field and institution.
Highest research prestige / strong international research profile: A relevant Web of Science Core Collection journal, particularly one with appropriate SCIE coverage for your field, is generally viewed as carrying strong prestige in STEM disciplines.
Broad international visibility and multidisciplinary reach: A reputable Scopus-indexed journal in your subject category is a solid choice, especially outside narrow STEM specializations.
Meeting a specific institutional requirement: Follow your university's or HEI's current published regulations rather than an old UGC-CARE label — many institutions have already updated their internal rules post-2025.
PhD publication in India specifically: Verify your university's current PhD/thesis submission regulations and your department's requirements directly before assuming any database name satisfies them.
Can a Journal Be Indexed in Both Scopus and Web of Science?
Yes. Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection are independent, separately maintained products, and their journal coverage overlaps substantially but is not identical. A journal can be indexed in Scopus only, in Web of Science only, in both, or in neither. Being listed in one database is not evidence, by itself, of status in the other — always check each database separately using its own official tool.
Does Scopus Mean the Journal Has an Impact Factor?
No. "Impact Factor" (specifically the Journal Impact Factor, or JIF) is a Clarivate metric calculated only for journals covered in Journal Citation Reports, which draws from the Web of Science Core Collection. Scopus-indexed journals instead receive CiteScore, SJR and SNIP — Elsevier/Scopus metrics calculated on a different methodology. A journal can have a strong CiteScore and no JIF at all, simply because it isn't covered by Web of Science. Treat "Impact Factor," "CiteScore," "SJR" and "SNIP" as four distinct numbers, not synonyms.
How to Check Whether a Journal Is Really Indexed
Don't take a journal's own website at its word — verify independently.
For Scopus
- 1 Go to Elsevier's official Scopus Sources list.
- 2 Search the exact journal title and confirm the ISSN/E-ISSN matches.
- 3 Check the current status — some journals are later discontinued from Scopus for quality reasons, and Sources shows this.
For Web of Science / SCI-SCIE
- 1 Use Clarivate's Master Journal List (mjl.clarivate.com) — the free, official lookup tool.
- 2 Search by exact title or ISSN.
- 3 Confirm which specific index it sits in — SCIE, SSCI, AHCI or ESCI — since these are not interchangeable tiers.
For UGC-CARE
- 1 Understand that there is no current, actively maintained UGC-CARE list to check against.
- 2 The frozen 1,474-journal reference list on UGC's site reflects status as of 10 February 2025 only, for historical reference — not current approval.
- 3 Instead, check your university's or department's current publication policy directly, since institutional requirements now vary and are no longer anchored to a live national list.
title/ISSN
on source
current status
How to verify Scopus and SCI journal indexing
How to Avoid Fake or Predatory Indexed Journals
Watch for these warning signs before you submit or pay anything:
- A claimed "impact factor" that isn't verifiable on Clarivate's Journal Citation Reports.
- Fake indexing logos or badges with no working link to the actual database entry.
- A cloned or hijacked website mimicking a real, reputable journal's name and ISSN.
- Guaranteed acceptance or unrealistically fast peer review and publication timelines.
- Aggressive solicitation by email or WhatsApp, especially unsolicited invitations to submit.
- No visible, verifiable editorial board or an editorial board that doesn't respond to queries.
- Vague or hidden Article Processing Charges (APC) revealed only after acceptance.
- Indexing claims you cannot independently confirm on Scopus Sources or Clarivate's MJL.
Which Journal Should a PhD Scholar Choose?
| Goal | What to prioritize |
|---|---|
| PhD submission requirement | Your university/HEI's current regulations |
| International visibility | A reputable Scopus or Web of Science journal in your field |
| High citation impact | Journal-level metrics plus field reputation, not just database name |
| STEM research | A relevant SCIE- or Scopus-indexed journal matched to your subject area |
| Social sciences | A relevant SSCI- or Scopus-covered journal where appropriate |
| Budget-sensitive publishing | The journal's actual APC or subscription model, checked directly |
| Fast publication | Never trade legitimacy for speed — verify indexing before submitting |
PhD submission requirement
Your university/HEI's current regulations
International visibility
A reputable Scopus or Web of Science journal in your field
High citation impact
Journal-level metrics plus field reputation, not just database name
STEM research
A relevant SCIE- or Scopus-indexed journal matched to your subject area
Social sciences
A relevant SSCI- or Scopus-covered journal where appropriate
Budget-sensitive publishing
The journal's actual APC or subscription model, checked directly
Fast publication
Never trade legitimacy for speed — verify indexing before submitting
University
regulations
Field &
subject fit
Verified
indexing
Choosing the right journal for PhD publication
Choosing a journal for your PhD publication?
Your university's requirements, subject area, indexing status and journal quality all matter. Get professional guidance before making a costly submission decision, from our PhD assistance services .
Talk to a PhD Publication ExpertFrequently Asked Questions
Neither is universally "better" — they're different databases with different scope and metrics. SCI/SCIE (Web of Science) is often viewed as more selective in STEM fields; Scopus offers broader multidisciplinary coverage. The right choice depends on your field and institutional requirement.
This isn't a fair comparison anymore. UGC-CARE is a discontinued national reference list, not an active index. Scopus is a live, internationally maintained database. For a current publishing decision, Scopus (or Web of Science) verification is meaningful; an old UGC-CARE listing is not.
Effectively, yes, for most practical purposes today. SCIE (Science Citation Index Expanded) is the current, electronic successor to the original SCI, and "SCI journal" is now commonly used as informal shorthand for an SCIE-indexed journal.
No. SCIE is one specific index within Clarivate's Web of Science Core Collection. Scopus is an entirely separate database owned by Elsevier. A journal can be in one, both, or neither.
Yes. The two databases are independently maintained and their coverage overlaps but doesn't match exactly, so a journal's presence in one doesn't confirm its presence in the other.
No. UGC discontinued active maintenance of the CARE list through notices dated 11 February 2025 and 16 July 2025. A frozen 1,474-journal list remains online for historical reference only, and UGC has stated that inclusion on it doesn't imply current endorsement.
Search the exact journal title and ISSN on Elsevier's official Scopus Sources list, and confirm its current status there rather than trusting the journal's own claims.
Search the exact journal title or ISSN on Clarivate's Master Journal List (mjl.clarivate.com) and check which specific Core Collection index — SCIE, SSCI, AHCI or ESCI — it falls under.
No. Journal Impact Factor is a Clarivate/Web of Science metric. Scopus-indexed journals instead carry CiteScore, SJR and SNIP, and a journal can hold these without ever having a JIF.
There's no single correct answer — it depends on your university's current regulations, your department's expectations, and your field. Verify institutional requirements directly rather than assuming any one database automatically satisfies them.
Conclusion
SCI/SCIE, Scopus and UGC-CARE answer three different questions, not three levels of the same one: SCI/SCIE tells you whether Clarivate has selected a journal into its Web of Science indexes; Scopus tells you whether Elsevier has included it in its own database with its own metrics; and UGC-CARE, as of 2025, no longer tells you anything current at all — it's a frozen historical record, not an active approval system. If you're deciding where to publish or whether a journal "counts," the reliable path is the same regardless of which database is involved: verify the exact journal title and ISSN directly against the official source (Scopus Sources or Clarivate's Master Journal List), and check your specific university's current publication requirements rather than relying on a database name or an old listing claim.
If you're unsure whether a particular journal fits your research topic or satisfies your university's current publication requirement, verify its indexing status and your institution's current rules before you submit or pay any fee. You can also browse our research and publishing blog for more guidance like this.
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