Starting January 1, about 18 million students from state-funded higher education institutions, including universities and IITs, will gain access to top international research journals under the government’s ‘One Nation, One Subscription’ (ONOS) initiative.
During a press conference, Principal Scientific Advisor AK Sood announced that the initiative’s first phase will grant access to over 13,400 journals covering fields like science, technology, engineering, medicine, management, and humanities. These journals are published by 30 major publishers, including Elsevier, Springer Nature, and Wiley.
The initiative will benefit 451 state public universities, 4,864 colleges, and 172 national-level institutes, among a total of 6,380 higher education and research institutions. Previously, institutions subscribed only to specific journals relevant to their disciplines. Now, all institutions will have access to the entire collection of journals.
Department of Science and Technology Secretary Abhay Karadikar stated that ONOS will operate for three years, starting January 1. In its second phase, the government aims to extend the initiative to private institutions via a public-private partnership. The third phase will ensure universal access through public library access points.
The Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET), an autonomous body under the University Grants Commission (UGC), will coordinate the initiative.
Sood highlighted that ONOS will expand research opportunities for students, faculty, and scientists, particularly in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, enhancing both core and interdisciplinary research. Launched as a central sector scheme, the initiative involves a budget of $720 million for three years.
