Journals removed from Scopus in March 2026

Scopus continues to regularly review the list of indexed scientific publications. In March 2026, 16 journals were removed from the database at once. Keeping track of such updates is particularly important for researchers, lecturers, postgraduate students and PhD candidates, as well as for anyone planning to publish in the Scopus database. Today we have compiled a complete list of publications that have lost their indexing status, along with the reasons for their removal.

The grounds on which a publication is removed from the database vary considerably. In some cases, it is a matter of formal discontinuation of indexing; in others, the journal no longer meets Scopus’s current requirements. For researchers, this means that if a publication appears after the date of exclusion, it will not be counted towards a thesis defence, report, etc. This is precisely why it is wise to check a journal’s status not against lists from a year ago, but against the latest Scopus updates immediately prior to submission.

Why are scientific journals excluded from Scopus?

• publication of works of low scientific significance and with an insignificant contribution to the development of the relevant field
• plagiarism, ghost authorship or unethical citation practices
• suspicious scientometric indicators, such as sharp spikes in the number of articles or citations that cannot be explained by a natural increase in interest in the publication
• failure to comply with Scopus requirements regarding peer review, editorial policy and the overall scientific standard of published content
• significant changes to the journal’s concept – a change in subject area, a relaxation of selection criteria, or a restructuring of the editorial model

List of scientific journals excluded from Scopus in March 2026

What are the reasons for the exclusions?

In the March list, eleven publications were marked as “Discontinuation”, and five as “Journal change policy”. 

“Discontinuation” means the cessation of indexing; for example, the journal is completely removed from the active list of Scopus sources, and new issues are no longer added to the database. 

“Journal change policy” is used when the editorial board significantly alters the policy, subject scope or publication model, and Scopus responds by reviewing the status.

It is noteworthy that the proportion of journals excluded specifically due to “Journal change policy” was significantly higher in March than in February. This is an indirect indication that editorial restructuring is becoming an increasingly common reason for removing publications from the database, rather than merely formal procedures for discontinuing indexing.

For researchers, the conclusion remains the same: relying on a journal’s past reputation is risky. Even a publication with a long history in Scopus can lose its indexing at any moment. Before submitting an article, it is worth checking not only the journal’s website but also the latest database lists, ISSN, publisher details and the history of changes. 

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