Indian Life Science Journals: A Quest for Recognition, Citation, and Impact

The Republic of India, with a population of 135.26 billion, flaunts the largest educational network and is the 3rd largest force of scientists, engineers, and doctors. However, Indian Life Science journals face numerous adversities when placed in the international arena. Journal Citation Reports (JCR) indexes about 2.16%, Science Citation Index (SCI) 6.21%, BIOSIS PREVIEWS indexes 5.23%, and EMBASE (Elsevier) indexes 16.39% of the Indian Life Science Journals from their total record. Combined data shows that only 389 Indian Life Science journals are indexed in four analyzed global databases. The research performance is a multidimensional concept that cannot be judged by a few quantitatively biased numerical indicators. However, many such indicators have evolved, and many of them have been employed for the qualitative assessment of researchers’ work. A question still exists whether they truly qualify for the task they are designed. Some of these indicators such as citations, Impact factor, and h-index weigh heavily, when it comes to the evaluation of individuals’ scientific excellence, specifically in the Indian scientific community, which poses a threat for budding scholars. The present review sheds light on the quest of Indian Life Science journals for recognition, citation, and impact amidst the scientific hype and colossal brain drain.