One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) Initiative

Context

The One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) initiative is a landmark step aimed at democratizing access to global scholarly expertise in India. It aligns with the broader dreams of NEP 2020 and ViksitBharat@2047.

Implementation of ONOS

• Role of INFLIBNET: The Information and Library Network Centre under UGC will centrally administer the subscription and distribution, ensuring seamless digital access to resources. A centralized platform will simplify access and reduce administrative burdens.
• Funding: A ₹6,000 crore fund has been allocated for the scheme’s first phase (2025–2027).
• Phase I (2025–2027): Establish the framework, provide access to research materials, and negotiate Article Processing Charges (APCs) for Indian researchers.

Benefits

• Democratization of Knowledge: Provides equitable access to global studies sources throughout tier-2 and tier-3 towns, addressing regional disparities in research opportunities.
• Boosts Research Quality: Access to notable journals enhances studies capabilities, permitting Indian researchers to make a contribution to recent global developments.
• Cost Efficiency: Centralized funding reduces duplication of subscriptions by individual establishments, saving costs for HEIs and studies centers.
  • Discounts on Article Processing Charges (APCs) make publishing in high-effect journals more reachable.
• Fosters Collaboration: Integration with international studies communities promotes interdisciplinary and international collaborations, raising India’s international research footprint.
• Support for National Development: Enhances India’s R&D surroundings, supporting innovation in important regions like STEM, remedy, and social sciences, which can be pivotal for monetary increase and self-reliance.
• Improved Academic Infrastructure: Complements initiatives like the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), creating a better research infrastructure.

Challenges

• Administrative Complexity: Coordinating access for 6,300 institutions with various needs may also pose massive logistical and administrative challenges.
• Digital Divide: Effective usage of digital sources may be hindered through infrastructure gaps in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, including unreliable net connectivity or lack of digital literacy.
• Limited Scope: The scheme covers only select international journals, and a number of researchers might nevertheless require access to sources not covered in Phase I.
• Sustainability: Long-term investment for one of these large-scale initiatives demands careful planning to ensure it remains viable without compromising first-rate.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Measuring the real impact of the initiative on research output and innovation may be hard.
• Dependency on Global Publishers: Heavily counting on foreign publishers might also limit India’s leverage in negotiations and will cause higher costs over time.

Way Ahead

• Strengthen Infrastructure: Improve digital connectivity and offer education in digital useful resource usage for institutions in remote areas.
• Phase Expansion: Gradually enlarge ONOS to include more journals, databases, and even regional or Indian language assets to expand access.
• Promote Open Access: Encourage Indian researchers to utilize Open Access (OA) platforms and construct national repositories for sharing research outputs freely.
• Enhance Negotiation Leverage: Collaborate with different nations to negotiate higher terms with publishers, which include lower APCs and subscription expenses.
• Focus on Research Outputs: Develop metrics to assess the impact of ONOS on studies fine, innovation, and India’s international ratings in R&D.
• Support Regional Institutions: Provide more resources for smaller or less-resourced institutions to make complete use of ONOS advantages.
• Public Awareness and Training: Launch attention campaigns and workshops for researchers, faculty, and college students on maximizing using ONOS resources.

Source: The PIB

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Q. Whether the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) can enforce the implementation of constitutional reservation for the Scheduled Castes in the religious minority institutions? Examine. (2018)

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