Why in the News?

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has recently approved the One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at providing country-wide access to international scholarly journals and research publications. The scheme is a part of India's ambitious vision for Viksit Bharat@2047 and is designed to strengthen the research ecosystem across the nation.

About One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)

• It is a Central Sector Scheme focused on maximizing access to international high-impact research articles and scholarly journals for government higher education institutions (HEIs) and R&D laboratories.
• Inception: Approved by the Union Cabinet to address gaps in research accessibility.
• Objective: Enable inclusive access to high-quality scholarly journals for HEIs and R&D institutions.
• Financial Allocation: A budget of ₹6,000 crore has been allocated for the scheme, covering the calendar years 2025, 2026, and 2027.
• Impact: Encourages research and innovation, especially in underrepresented regions.
• Alignment: Supports NEP 2020 and the broader vision of a self-reliant India.
• Coordination: Managed by INFLIBNET, ensuring a user-friendly and digital platform for seamless access.
• Scope:
  • 30 major international journal publishers are included, giving access to nearly 13,000 e-journals.
  • Benefits will extend to over 6,300 government institutions, covering 1.8 crore students, faculty, and researchers.
• Implementation:
  • The Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET), an autonomous inter-university center under the University Grants Commission (UGC), will act as the coordinating agency.
  • The scheme will be administered through a simple, fully digital process for seamless access.
• Significance:
  • Expands access to global research knowledge, fostering core and interdisciplinary research, especially for students and researchers in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.
  • Supports the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• Ease of Access:
  • A unified portal will be developed under the Department of Higher Education for institutions to access the journals.
  • Awareness campaigns will be conducted by central and state governments to ensure maximum utilization.
• Long-Term Vision:
  • Regular reviews by the ANRF to ensure optimal usage and encourage publications by Indian authors.
  • Contributes to India’s integration into the global research ecosystem by making research resources universally accessible.