What is One Nation One Subscription (ONOS): Scheme, Features & Benefits

One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) Scheme is a Centralize Research journal Subscriptions. The Indian government has approved the ambitious One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme to streamline access to scholarly research and academic journals, benefiting around 1.8 crore students, faculty, and researchers.

The “One Nation, One Subscription” initiative is an ambitious proposal aimed at providing access to a wide range of academic and scientific research journals for all citizens of a country under a single subscription model. Here’s a detailed explanation:

The Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET), an autonomous inter-university center under the University Grants Commission (UGC), will oversee the ONOS initiative.

Traditional academic publishing typically follows a “pay-to-read” model, requiring libraries and institutions to pay for access to published research.

ONOS seeks to make high-quality academic resources more accessible to students and researchers across India, with a special focus on those in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. The initiative will grant access to over 13,000 high-impact journals from 30 prominent international publishers, significantly enhancing the availability of academic materials.

The idea behind “One Nation, One Subscription” is to negotiate and purchase a national-level subscription to scientific journals, research databases, and other scholarly content. This subscription would then be available to all educational and research institutions, as well as individual researchers and the general public within the country.

One Nation One Subscription Scheme

Overview: Centralize research journal subscriptions.

Active From: January 1, 2025.

Budget Allocation: Rs. 6,000 crore.

Duration: Three years (2025 – 2027).

Target Audience: Nearly 1.8 crore students, faculty, researchers, and scientists.

Scope: Access to nearly 13,000 e-journals published by 30 major international journal publishers.

Institutions Benefited: Over 6,300 government Higher Education Institutions and central government R&D institutions.

Implementation Agency: Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET) Centre.

Objectives

1. Universal Access: Ensure that everyone, regardless of their institutional affiliation or personal financial capability, has access to high-quality research resources.
2. Cost Efficiency: Reduce the overall expenditure on journal subscriptions by consolidating them into a single national agreement, potentially saving costs for individual institutions and researchers.
3. Boost Research and Innovation: By providing widespread access to current research, the initiative aims to foster a more informed and innovative research environment.
4. Equity in Education: Bridge the knowledge gap between institutions with varying levels of resources, promoting equitable access to information.

Key Features

1. National-Level Negotiation: The government or a designated national body would negotiate with publishers and content providers to secure a subscription that covers the entire nation.
2. Single Subscription Fee: Instead of multiple institutions paying separate subscription fees, the entire country pays a single, often significantly lower, fee.
3. Access to a Wide Range of Content: The subscription would typically include access to a vast array of journals, e-books, databases, and other research resources.
4. Centralized Management: A central authority would manage the subscription, ensuring seamless access and resolving any issues that arise.

Benefits

1. Economic Savings: Consolidating subscriptions can lead to significant cost savings for the government and educational institutions.
2. Enhanced Research Output: With greater access to resources, researchers can produce higher-quality work, leading to better research outcomes.
3. Educational Equity: Students and researchers from smaller or less-funded institutions would have the same access to resources as those from well-funded ones, promoting educational equity.
4. Global Competitiveness: By improving access to information, the country can enhance its global competitiveness in research and innovation.

Challenges

1. Negotiation Complexity: Securing a comprehensive and favorable deal with publishers can be complex and time-consuming.
2. Funding: The government needs to allocate sufficient funds to cover the national subscription fee.
3. Infrastructure: Ensuring that all institutions have the necessary infrastructure to access and utilize these resources effectively.
4. Publisher Resistance: Publishers may resist the model due to potential revenue losses from individual subscriptions.

Implementation Examples

• India: India has been considering the “One Nation, One Subscription” model to improve access to scientific research for its students, researchers, and academic institutions. The National Knowledge Network (NKN) could play a crucial role in this initiative by providing the necessary infrastructure for seamless access.

Conclusion

The “One Nation, One Subscription” initiative has the potential to revolutionize access to academic resources, making high-quality information universally available and promoting a more inclusive and equitable research environment. However, successful implementation requires careful planning, negotiation, and sufficient funding to overcome the associated challenges.

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