The Union Cabinet’s approval of the One Nation, One Subscription (ONOS) scheme marks a pivotal step in providing equitable access to scholarly journals for public institutions in India. With an ambitious financial outlay of ₹6,000 crore over three years (2025-2027), the initiative seeks to bridge knowledge gaps across institutions.
About One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) Scheme
Objective: To provide nationwide access to e-journals and databases across STEM and social sciences, ensuring affordable and inclusive research opportunities.
Key Features:
Universal Digital Access: Managed by INFLIBNET (UGC Center), ensuring a seamless, digital research ecosystem for all institutions.
Monitoring & Evaluation: The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) will track usage and Indian research publications to assess impact.
Global Journal Access: ONOS will include 13,000 journals from 30 top publishers, such as Oxford, Cambridge, and Elsevier (Lancet, ScienceDirect).
Implementation Strategy: The Department of Higher Education (DHE) will develop a unified portal and conduct Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns to enhance outreach.
Need for One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Curbing Profit-Driven Publishing: Academic publishing earns $19 billion annually, with 40% profit margins, mostly from publicly funded research. ONOS ensures universal access to taxpayer-funded knowledge.
Eliminating Predatory Journals: Many low-quality journals exploit Indian researchers with high fees and poor peer review. ONOS promotes access to credible research.
Breaking Cost Barriers: High subscription fees restrict access, especially for smaller institutions.
Reducing Research Costs: In 2021, Indian researchers paid ₹380 crore in Article Processing Charges (APCs). ONOS cuts costs and expands access.
Challenges with One Nation, One Subscription (ONOS)
Growing Shift Towards Open Access (OA): With over 50% of global research freely accessible, ONOS risks becoming redundant.
Limited Inclusivity Across Research Domains: ONOS may favour mainstream journals while sidelining niche and emerging fields, restricting access to specialised research communities.
Strengthening the Monopoly of Commercial Publishers: The model could deepen India’s dependence on a handful of Western publishing giants that charge high fees and prioritise profit over knowledge dissemination.
Copyright Surrender by Researchers: Scholars publishing in subscription-based journals often lose rights over their work, allowing publishers to commercialise publicly funded research.
Vulnerability in Digital Content Archiving: Over-reliance on publishers for content preservation risks permanent data loss.
Additional Concerns: Lack of investment in Indian journals, an opaque selection process, and infrastructure gaps.
Way Forward
Negotiate National Licenses: Negotiate national licenses to reduce subscription costs and secure waivers on Article Processing Charges (APCs).
Strengthen Open Access Initiatives: Promote Open Access by supporting institutional repositories and Green OA workflows.
Invest in Indian Journals: Focus on elevating Indian journals to global standards to reduce dependency on foreign publishers.
Implement Copyright Protection: Ensure researchers retain control over their intellectual property through national copyright policies.
Q. Discuss the significance and challenges of the One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme in promoting equitable access to scholarly research in India. (250 Words) (15 Marks)
Approach
Introduction: Write a brief introduction about the One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme.
Body: Discuss the significance and challenges of the One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme.
Conclusion: Write a way forward and a conclusion highlighting the need for better strategies.