New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Monday approved the 'One Nation One Subscription scheme' to provide country-wide access to international high-impact scholarly research articles and journal publications to students, faculty and researchers of all Higher Education Institutions managed by the Central and State governments and Research and Development Institutions of the Central Government.
Briefing the media, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the initiative will open a goldmine of knowledge available in top-quality scholarly journals to nearly 1.8 crore students, faculty, researchers and scientists of all disciplines, including those in tier II and tier III cities, thereby encouraging core as well as interdisciplinary research in the country.
The Union Minister said a total of 30 major international journal publishers have been included in 'One Nation One Subscription'. Nearly 13,000 e-journals published by these publishers will now be accessible to more than 6,300 Government Higher Education Institutions and Central Government R&D Institutions.
He said access to journals will be provided through a national subscription coordinated by the Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET), an autonomous inter-university centre of the University Grants Commission (UGC) through an entirely digital process.
A total of almost Rs 6,000 crore has been allocated for 'One Nation One Subscription' for three calendar years, 2025, 2026 and 2027 as a new Central Sector Scheme. 'One Nation One Subscription' is a timely step towards establishing India in the global research ecosystem by bringing ease of doing research to the doorstep of all students, faculty and researchers in the government institutions, Vaishnaw pointed out.
The benefits of the 'One Nation One Subscription scheme' will be provided to all Higher Educational Institutions under the management of the Central or State Government and Research & Development Institutions of the Central Government, through a national subscription coordinated by a central agency, namely the Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET), an autonomous Inter-university Centre of the University Grants Commission (UGC). This list covers more than 6,300 institutions, translating into nearly 1.8 crore students, faculty and researchers, who will be able to potentially avail benefits of 'One Nation One Subscription,' the Union Minister said.
This is in line with the goals of Viksitbharat@2047, National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF). The initiative will expand access to scholarly journals to a vast diaspora of students, faculty, researchers and scientists of all disciplines, including those in tier II and tier III cities, thereby promoting core as well as interdisciplinary research in the country. The ANRF will periodically review the usage of 'One Nation One Subscription' and publications of Indian authors of these institutions, Vaishnaw said.
