One Nation One Subscription: Revolutionizing Research Access

Initiative Overview and Scope

• Government launches 'One Nation, One Subscription' (ONOS) initiative
• Begins January 1, 2025, with a three-year budget of ₹6,000 crore
• Provides access to 13,400 international research journals
• Covers 6,380 higher education and research institutes
• Includes 451 state public universities, 4,864 colleges, and 172 national importance institutes
• Spans multiple disciplines including science, technology, engineering, medicine, mathematics, management, social sciences, and humanities
• Involves 30 major publishers like Elsevier, Springer Nature, and Wiley

Phased Implementation Strategy

First Phase (January 2025):

• • Comprehensive access for government-funded institutions
  • Approximately 1.8 crore (18 million) students will benefit
  • Multidisciplinary research materials available
  • Focus on breaking traditional disciplinary barriers

Second Phase:

• • Planned expansion to private academic institutions
  • Potential implementation through public-private partnership
  • Possible nominal fees for private institutes
  • Detailed modalities under discussion

Third Phase:

• • Universal access through public libraries
  • Democratizing research material accessibility
  • Creating designated access points for broader reach

Strategic Objectives and Future Implications

• Originated from National Education Policy (2020)
• Aims to promote core and interdisciplinary research
• Extends research accessibility to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities
• Coordinated by Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET)
• Additional support through Article Processing Charges (APC)
  • ₹150 crore annual fund for research publication support
  • Potential discounts for Indian researchers
• Breaking geographical and institutional research limitations
• Promoting knowledge sharing and collaborative learning

Key Highlights:

• Unprecedented research access for Indian academic ecosystem
• Supports government's vision of research-driven education
• Removes financial and infrastructural barriers to knowledge
• Aligns with global academic collaboration standards
• Enables researchers to access comprehensive, multidisciplinary resources

Background Context:

• Negotiated by a committee headed by Principal Scientific Advisor
• Follows establishment of Anusandhan National Research Foundation
• Represents significant investment in academic and research infrastructure
• Signals commitment to enhancing India's research capabilities

Significance:

• Transforms research landscape by providing universal access
• Empowers students, faculty, and researchers across institutional types
• Creates opportunities for interdisciplinary exploration
• Positions India as a progressive knowledge economy