The Nation Unites: 'One Nation One Subscription' Scheme Revolutionizes Access to International Research Journals for Indian Public Institutions
New Delhi: The Indian government has launched a historic initiative called 'One Nation One Subscription', which aims to provide equal access to international research journals for all state-funded universities and colleges across the country. With an additional annual outlay of Rs 850 crore, this scheme is expected to benefit nearly 1.8 crore researchers, compared to just 57 lakhths earlier.
The phased pilot project will grant access to over 13,400 international journal titles to more than 6,380 institutions in India, covering nearly two-thirds of the country's public universities and colleges. This scheme has been made possible through a landmark agreement with 30 of the world's top publishers, including Elsevier, Springer Nature, and Cambridge University Press.
The 'One Nation One Subscription' model promises to break down silos of knowledge by allowing researchers across disciplines to access all journals without any restrictions. "Knowledge is not in silos," said Principal Scientific Advisor AI. Professor Ajay Sood. "You may be a historian, but you may want to read about what's happening in science, or vice-versa. This scheme will enable that."
The scheme is seen as a major boost for Indian research and academia, which has struggled with limited access to international journals due to budget constraints. With the additional annual outlay of Rs 850 crore, the government aims to enhance access to all knowledge resources.
As part of this scheme, a central fund of Rs 150 crores will be earmarked annually to support researchers who want to publish papers in selected high-quality international journals. Researchers have been struggling with exorbitant Article Processing Charges (APCs) that have prevented many from publishing their work globally.
The Indian government is also making efforts to increase visibility for Indian journals, including those published by national academies and research councils. "We are committed to developing a transparent method for the selection of journals and APCs funds," said Professor Sood.
With this initiative, India has finally achieved what many thought was impossible - a subscription model that brings together global publishers and enables equitable access to knowledge resources across the country. The 'One Nation One Subscription' scheme is set to revolutionize research in India and provide a new level of opportunities for its researchers.
Key highlights:
- 30 top publishers have signed an agreement with the Indian government
- Rs 850 crore will be spent annually on this initiative
- Nearly 2,000 international journals will be made available
- 6,380 institutions across India will benefit from this scheme
- Rs 150 crores will be earmarked for APCs support every year