The Indian government launched the One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme on January 1, 2025. The scheme provides free access to academic journals for students and researchers in State and Central Government Higher Education and Research Institutions. With access to journals from top global publishers like Elsevier, Wiley, and Taylor & Francis, ONOS seeks to bridge gaps left by earlier initiatives like E-Shodh Sindhu, which catered primarily to elite institutions like IITs and NITs.
Administered by INFLIBNET, the ₹6,000 crore scheme (2025-2027) is expected to benefit 1.8 crore students and researchers across 6,300 government institutions. High journal subscription costs have historically restricted access, pushing many students toward shadow libraries like SciHub and Libgen, which face legal challenges for copyright infringement. ONOS aims to address this problem of access to knowledge that is fueled by the high cost of journal subscriptions. However, ONOS currently excludes private universities and independent researchers, leaving a large academic community without access. As 70% of India's universities are private, the scheme’s impact remains limited. Future expansions could integrate ONOS into public libraries or extend benefits to private institutions as well.
On 1st January, the Union Education Minister launched the “One Nation One Subscription” (ONOS) scheme in India. The scheme marks a significant step toward democratizing access to academic resources for students and researchers across the country. It provides students and researchers from State and Central Government Higher Education and Research Institutions free access to academic journals from 30 global publishers.[1] The journals accessible through the ONOS scheme cover various disciplines, including science, technology, engineering, medicine, and social sciences, and are published by renowned publishers like Elsevier, Wiley, Taylor & Francis, etc. This scheme is not the first of its kind in India. The ONOS was preceded by the E-Shodh Sindhu, which was launched in 2015. E-Shodh Sindhu provided premier institutions like the IITs and NITs affordable access to journals through a consortium.[2] However, many smaller education institutions did not have access to E-Shodh Sindhu’s resources. The ONOS seeks to resolve this gap by offering wider access.
The ONOS will be administered through a fully digital process managed by the Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET), an autonomous inter-university center under the University Grants Commission (UGC).[3] Thus, streamlining the process for individual universities to become members of the ONOS scheme. The government has allocated 6,000 crore INR for the first phase of ONOS, spanning from 2025 to 2027. The scheme is set to benefit approximately 1.8 crore students and researchers from more than 6,300 government institutions.[4] The success of this initial phase will determine the future trajectory and expansion of the program.
The announcement of the ONOS scheme met with widespread enthusiasm among the students and research community. The provision for off-campus access to the ONOS portal, beyond traditional library facilities, is particularly useful. The access terms for subscriptions by individual universities may vary based on the subscribed tier and were sometimes restricted to on-campus access only. By ensuring off-campus access to the portal, the ONOS will allow students and researchers to use their login credentials to obtain research materials without facing the restricted timings of university libraries.
The high costs of academic journal subscriptions have long been a significant barrier for researchers, particularly those in resource-constrained institutions. Without subscriptions, researchers are unable to access crucial research findings or data published in journal articles. For instance, in the academic year 2017-2018, IIT Kharagpur spent approximately ₹18.86 crore on journal subscriptions, while IIT Mumbai and IIT Kanpur incurred costs of ₹17.20 crore and ₹14.09 crore, respectively.[5] The Indian Institute of Science also faced substantial expenses amounting to ₹12.73 crore.[6] Consequently, students and researchers, particularly those in Tier 2 and 3 cities, face limited access to valuable research resources due to these prohibitively expensive subscription fees.[7] The disparity in access to resources may impact the growth of research and innovation in India. To overcome such limitations, many students and researchers resort to shadow libraries like SciHub and Libgen to access necessary materials.
Shadow libraries are online portals that provide free access to research papers, articles, or books. However, these copies of research articles are provided without the permission of publishers and may amount to copyright infringement. In 2017, India ranked third globally in terms of the number of downloads from Sci-Hub, trailing only the USA and China.[8] While shadow libraries like SciHub and Libgen offer a lifeline to students, they have been banned in multiple countries and are facing ongoing copyright infringement litigation in India as well.[9] Interestingly, some of the publishers who initiated the lawsuit against SciHub in India such as Elsevier, Wiley Periodicals, and the American Chemical Society, are now a part of the ONOS scheme.
This shift could potentially reduce the reliance on shadow libraries, as legal access to these resources becomes more widespread. However, the limited coverage of the ONOS scheme may reduce its impact on curtailing the use of shadow libraries. The scheme’s current beneficiaries are limited to students and researchers from state and central government institutions. This restricted user base leaves a substantial portion of India’s academic community without access, particularly those from privately owned higher education institutions. As of the 2019-2020 academic year, a substantial 70% of India’s 1,043 universities and 42,343 colleges were privately owned.[10] Students from these institutions, along with independent researchers who do not fall under the purview of government-funded institutions, will continue to face issues in accessing knowledge. In the absence of institutional support for journal subscriptions, these individuals may still be compelled to rely on shadow libraries to access critical research materials.
Going forward, there is potential for expansion of the ONOS framework as it progresses beyond its initial phase. While current beneficiaries are limited to students and researchers from State and Central Government Higher Education and Research Institutions, subsequent phases could include private universities and non-government research institutes. Such inclusivity would significantly enhance the impact of the scheme. One potential solution lies in integrating ONOS resources into public libraries across India. This would allow individuals who are not associated with formal educational institutions to benefit from access to high-quality academic literature. Barring apprehensions of technological failures and administrative delays, the ONOS scheme marks a promising attempt to bridge the gap in access to high-quality research resources. It will empower students and researchers from government institutions to engage more effectively in research and innovation.
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[1] https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/PIB2077098.pdf
[2] https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/featurephilia/story/onos-one-nation-one-subscription-research-scheme-free-journal-download-from-jan-1-experts-opinions-2653497-2024-12-22
[3] https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2077097
[4] https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/centre-launches-one-nation-one-subscription-to-facilitate-access-to-research-articles-101735757179174.html
[5] https://www.ndtvprofit.com/exclusive/solution-to-sci-hub-litigation-lies-in-better-funding-for-indian-science
[6] https://www.ndtvprofit.com/exclusive/solution-to-sci-hub-litigation-lies-in-better-funding-for-indian-science
[7] https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/professors-appreciate-one-nation-one-subscription-concerns-9693904/
[8] https://jscires.org/storage/2023/07/JScientometRes-10-2-259.pdf
[9] https://www.medianama.com/2024/05/223-delhi-hc-lawsuit-sci-hub-libgen/
[10] https://www.livemint.com/news/india/majority-of-indian-colleges-are-run-by-private-sector-govt-tells-rajya-sabha-11627556238570.html