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One Nation One Subscription Scheme: Need & Challenges

  • 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.
  • Fairer Publishing Terms: ONOS helps negotiate better agreements, protecting researchers from restrictive copyright policies.
  • 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.

Reference: The Hindu

PMF IAS Pathfinder for Mains – Question 50

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.

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