Every fact on this site comes from an identified source and keeps a link to it. This page explains what we take from each source, how it is verified, when it was last updated and what its limits are. See also How we verify.
HEC recognition lists (published documents)
- What we obtain
- Journal titles, ISSN / E-ISSN, publisher, subject area, recognition category (W, X or Y) and the parameters printed in each published list, for each list period and version we hold.
- How it is verified
- Each file is kept unchanged with a SHA-256 fingerprint. Rows are read, validated and matched to journals by ISSN, previewed, and only then loaded as unverified records. An administrator confirms the validity dates from the document, checks a sample against the original pages, accepts the records, and only then certifies a dataset as complete.
- Last updated
- 23 Sep 2026
- Records we hold
- 30,473 verified HEC records
- Use of this source
- terms confirmed as permitting our use
- Limitations
- A list we hold may be incomplete or a later re-issue may exist. Validity dates are shown only after they are confirmed from a document. “Not Listed” appears only for a dataset certified complete. HJRS.com.pk is independent: for institutional or legal decisions use the official HEC documents.
Scopus
- What we obtain
- Whether a journal is indexed in Scopus, its Scopus source identifier and the coverage the source states.
- How it is verified
- Through a licensed API where a licence and key exist; otherwise by an administrator checking the official Scopus source list and recording the official page and what it showed. No web scraping.
- Last updated
- Nothing has been loaded from this source yet.
- Records we hold
- 0 verified indexing records
- Use of this source
- not used for imports until its terms are confirmed
- Limitations
- If neither route was used the status is “Not Verified”, not “Not Found”. Indexing can change over time; the date checked is always shown. Coverage years are only those the source states.
Web of Science
- What we obtain
- Whether a journal appears in the Web of Science Master Journal List and which edition, when a source states it.
- How it is verified
- Through a licensed API where available; otherwise manual verification against the official list with the page recorded as evidence. No web scraping.
- Last updated
- Nothing has been loaded from this source yet.
- Records we hold
- 0 verified indexing records
- Use of this source
- not used for imports until its terms are confirmed
- Limitations
- Without licensed access or a manual check the status is “Not Verified”. We do not infer indexing from search-engine results.
DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals)
- What we obtain
- Whether a journal is listed in DOAJ, its DOAJ record, subjects and the open-access start year DOAJ states.
- How it is verified
- A lookup by exact ISSN in the public DOAJ interface. The raw answer is preserved as evidence. A title that does not match ours is held for a person to review.
- Last updated
- 22 Sep 2026
- Records we hold
- 203 verified indexing records
- Use of this source
- terms confirmed as permitting our use
- Limitations
- A journal not found by its ISSN is “Not Found” in DOAJ only. A found record says nothing about HEC recognition.
OpenAlex
- What we obtain
- Whether OpenAlex holds a source record for the journal, and the descriptive facts it lists.
- How it is verified
- A lookup by exact ISSN in the public OpenAlex service. OpenAlex’s own flags about other databases are shown only as reported and never set another source’s status.
- Last updated
- Nothing has been loaded from this source yet.
- Records we hold
- 0 verified indexing records
- Use of this source
- terms confirmed as permitting our use
- Limitations
- “Found” means OpenAlex has a record, not that the journal is indexed or recognised anywhere.
Crossref
- What we obtain
- Journal-level metadata and article metadata by DOI: title, authors, journal, ISSN, published dates, volume, issue and pages.
- How it is verified
- Lookups by exact ISSN or DOI in the public Crossref service, with the raw answer preserved. Imported articles start as unverified and keep Crossref as the source of their dates.
- Last updated
- Nothing has been loaded from this source yet.
- Records we hold
- 0 verified indexing records
- Use of this source
- terms confirmed as permitting our use
- Limitations
- Crossref is a metadata source, not an index and not HEC. It says what a publisher deposited, and its dates are not always the date that counts for a recognition period.
Publisher and journal sources
- What we obtain
- The journal’s own website, cover pages and issue pages, used to confirm a journal’s identity (title, ISSN, publisher) and an article’s dates.
- How it is verified
- Entered by an administrator with the address of the page and a note of what it showed; corrections keep the old value, the reason and the source.
- Last updated
- Nothing has been loaded from this source yet.
- Limitations
- A publisher page is the publisher’s own statement. Where it disagrees with another source, both are kept and the conflict is reviewed by a person.
HEC lists held
| List (period) | Version | Valid dates | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | 1 | 01 Jul 2023 – 30 Sep 2024 | Loaded, not certified complete |
| 2024–25 | 1 | 01 Oct 2024 – 31 Mar 2026 | Loaded, not certified complete |
| HEC 2026-27 | 1 | 01 Apr 2026 – 31 Dec 2027 | Loaded, not certified complete |
“Not certified complete” means a journal missing from that list is shown as Pending Verification, never as Not Listed.