Overview: One Nation, One Subscription (ONOS) scheme aims to expand access to top research journals to State-affiliated colleges and individual students across India.
Relevance: GS 2(Education, Governance)
- The scheme will more than triple the number of entities able to access research papers from leading publishers.
- Increased journal availability: The number of journals accessible will increase by 62%, covering 95% of published research.
- Phased implementation: ONOS will begin on January 1, 2025, covering all States and government institutions. A review in 2027 will include private universities and colleges.
- Financial implications: The scheme will double the Centre’s annual spend on subscriptions, from ₹1,000-1,500 crore to ₹6,000 crore (2025-2027).
- Article Processing Charges (APC) Fund: A ₹150 crore fund will support researchers in paying APCs to make their work freely accessible.
- Implementation through INFLIBNET: The Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET) will coordinate subscriptions across over 6,300 institutions, benefiting approximately 1.8 crore students, faculty, and researchers.
- Accessibility: Students and faculty can register to access research papers remotely, even when away from campus.
- Broad impact: The scheme aims to reduce the knowledge gap and democratize access to high-quality research across all educational institutions in India.
