India, with its ambitious vision for the future, is taking a significant step to improve access to academic resources. In January 2025, the government is launching the One Nation-One Subscription (ONOS) plan, a bold initiative that will grant free access to nearly 13,000 international academic journals for students, researchers, and faculty across the country.
This move, which has garnered both national and international praise, promises to reshape the research ecosystem, offering a wealth of knowledge that was previously difficult to access due to high subscription costs.
Under ONOS, around 18 million individuals across the country, including students from higher education institutions, researchers, and faculty members, will be able to access journals from leading publishers like Elsevier, Springer Nature, and Wiley without any financial barriers.
The aim is to foster research and academic excellence by providing a level playing field for all, regardless of their financial standing or geographical location.
The Background of the One Nation-One Subscription Plan
The ONOS initiative, which was officially approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet on November 25, 2024, is a monumental agreement worth $715 million over three years. The deal, which follows two years of extensive negotiations, includes subscriptions to journals from 30 major global publishers, making it the largest such arrangement worldwide.
Cabinet approves One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
The Prime Minister in his address to the Nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on 15th August, 2022, had pointed out the importance of Research and Development in our country in the Amrit Kaal. He had given the clarion call… pic.twitter.com/mXnJm7ZQ3m
— Ministry of Education (@EduMinOfIndia) November 25, 2024
The plan will be administered through INFLIBNET (Information and Library Network), an autonomous institution under the University Grants Commission (UGC). INFLIBNET will manage the digital infrastructure to ensure that academic institutions across India can access these scholarly resources seamlessly. The subscription will cover over 6,300 government-run higher education institutions, along with research and development institutions across India.
Why is India Introducing ONOS?
India’s decision to launch this program is rooted in a strong desire to democratize access to knowledge and research resources. For years, access to academic journals has been a barrier for students, particularly in less privileged and remote areas of the country. The subscription costs for international journals can be prohibitively high, preventing many aspiring scholars from accessing the latest research findings and publications.
With ONOS, India is addressing this gap, enabling individuals from even the most rural parts of the country, including students in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, to gain access to a vast array of journals across disciplines. This can potentially lead to an increase in high-quality academic research, innovations, and breakthroughs that can contribute to India’s growth in a rapidly changing world.
Game-changer for Indian academia and for youth empowerment!
The Cabinet has approved ‘One Nation One Subscription’, which will strengthen our efforts to become a hub for research, learning and knowledge. It will also encourage interdisciplinary studies.…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 26, 2024
The program also aligns with the Indian government’s broader National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes the importance of research and development (R&D) for the nation’s progress. Prime Minister Modi’s call for “Jai Anusandhan” during his address on Independence Day in 2022 highlighted the need for prioritizing research in India’s development strategy.
What Will Be Made Available Under ONOS?
Under the One Nation-One Subscription plan, academics will gain access to nearly 13,000 e-journals published by top global publishers such as Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley, and others. These journals cover a wide range of subjects, including science, technology, engineering, medicine, social sciences, and humanities.
The access will be entirely digital, making it easy for students, researchers, and faculty to explore these resources through a central online portal. The move is expected to significantly lower the research costs for institutions and scholars, who previously had to spend substantial amounts on journal subscriptions. According to the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Mumbai, ONOS could potentially reduce research expenses by 18%, a figure that underscores the economic benefit of the initiative.
This initiative will benefit 18 million people across government-run institutions and research organizations, ensuring that the power of knowledge is available to everyone who needs it. The digital infrastructure and user-friendly design of the system will allow easy and hassle-free access, enabling users to navigate through the journals and find relevant information for their academic pursuits.
Foreign Reactions to India’s ONOS Plan
India’s initiative has caught the attention of many around the world. Academics and students from other countries have expressed admiration for the scheme. Some commentators on online forums, like Reddit, have remarked that easy access to knowledge is essential for progress, and they hope that other nations, such as the US, will follow India’s lead. One Reddit user stated, “India is doing things right here. Easy access to journals is a huge barrier to research, and this initiative will help break it down.”
Indian gov’t is buying a subscription to 13,000 academic journals, and then making them all available to “18 million students, faculty, and researchers” for free.
The cost is $715 million over 3 years. It includes Elsevier, Nature, and AAAS.
Have any other countries done this? pic.twitter.com/lPpOEqIiuH
— Niko McCarty ? (@NikoMcCarty) December 2, 2024
Others have praised the initiative for its equalizing effect, particularly for students and researchers in developing regions who previously faced limited access to academic resources. A user from the United States shared their experience, mentioning how the lack of access to journals was a constant hurdle during medical school, further highlighting how India’s move could help level the playing field.
Furthermore, some have pointed out that India’s approach is not just beneficial for its citizens but could serve as a model for other developing nations. As one individual from abroad wrote, “This will take Indian research and scientific advancement to another level. I hope other countries can think long-term and adopt similar strategies.”
The Debate Over the Cost of Journal Subscriptions
While India’s efforts to provide free access to academic resources have been widely praised, the significant investment in subscription fees for journals has sparked some debates. Critics argue that the government should focus more on pushing for the Open Access (OA) model, which allows free and unrestricted access to research articles.
According to some experts, OA is the future of academic publishing, and many research articles are already being published under this model. In fact, about half of all new research articles are now published under Open Access, reflecting a shift towards more accessible and transparent publishing practices.
One critic, Sridhar Gutam, a prominent advocate for Open Access, raised concerns about the traditional subscription model. He suggested that India’s focus on paying for journal subscriptions might be a short-term solution, as the global academic community increasingly moves toward making research freely available to all.
Others like Muthu Madhan, the Director at O.P. Jindal Global University, also argue that the funds allocated to journal subscriptions could be better spent on improving research infrastructure, such as providing better laboratory facilities and stipends for researchers.
On the other hand, proponents of the ONOS plan stress the importance of ensuring access to high-quality, reliable data and journals, which are essential for advancing research. Professor Manoj Kumar Tiwari, a researcher and educator, noted that factors like research infrastructure, equipment, consumables, and support services are just as crucial as access to journals.
The ONOS initiative, he believes, will not only provide access to important academic resources but also help build a more efficient and accessible research environment, enabling Indian scholars to compete at a global level.
