Government’s One Nation One Subscription Initiative Launched

Why in the news?

The Indian government has approved Rs 6000 crore for the One Nation One Subscription initiative to provide equitable access to 13,000 journals for government HEIs.

Overview and Budget Allocation:

  • The Indian government approved Rs 6000 crore for the “One Nation One Subscription” (ONOS) initiative.
  • The scheme aims to provide government-run higher education institutions (HEIs) equitable access to 13,000 scholarly journals via a single platform.
  • This will be implemented by INFLIBNET (Information and Library Network Centre), and will be available starting January 2025.

Government’s One Nation One Subscription Initiative Launched

Current Journal Access and the Need for ONOS:

  • Currently, HEIs access journals through 10 different library consortia and individual subscriptions.
    • The ONOS initiative will streamline journal access and avoid duplication of subscriptions, reducing overall costs.
    • The platform will host journals from 30 international publishers including Elsevier, Springer, and Wiley.
    • It aims to enhance access for 55 lakh to 18 crore students, faculty, and researchers in over 6,300 government HEIs.

Objectives and Future Plans:

  • The initiative aims to improve bargaining power with publishers and ensure cost-effective access.
  • The government intends to negotiate Article Processing Charges (APCs) with publishers to further reduce costs, similar to the journal subscription negotiations.
  • The ONOS initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes research excellence.
  • The Centre also plans to explore whether ONOS will include private HEIs in the future.

Key Objectives of One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)

  • Provides access to over 13,000 e-journals from 30 international publishers.
  • Encourages interdisciplinary research, especially benefiting Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
  • Streamlines digital access via a unified portal for students, researchers, and faculty.

 Implementation Authority

  • Managed by the Department of Higher Education and associated ministries.
  • ANRF oversees periodic reviews of resource utilization and authorship contributions.

  Significance

  • Aligns with National Education Policy 2020 for research synergy.
  • Promotes India as a global research hub fostering innovation.
  • Bridges knowledge gaps in rural and backward regions.

Sources Referred:

PIB, The Hindu, Indian Express, Hindustan Times