One Nation, One Subscription: Bridging the Knowledge Divide or a missed opportunity

Imagine a world where every student, researcher, and educator in India has equal access to the latest scientific discoveries, groundbreaking studies, and scholarly debates—without worrying about the prohibitive costs of journal subscriptions. This vision is closer to reality with the introduction of the One Nation, One Subscription (ONOS) initiative, a bold move by the Indian government to democratize access to academic resources.

Approved on November 25, 2024, this ?6,000 crore program promises to transform the country’s academic and research landscape. But as we celebrate this ambitious step, it’s worth asking: Is ONOS the ultimate solution, or merely a stepping stone toward a bigger, bolder future?

Why ONOS Is a Game-Changer

For decades, access to premier academic journals has been a luxury afforded by only the wealthiest institutions. Smaller colleges, Tier-2 and Tier-3 city universities, and individual researchers often found themselves locked out of the global knowledge economy. ONOS changes that.

Under the program, nearly 13,000 international journals from major publishers like Elsevier, Springer Nature, and Wiley will now be available to 18 million students, researchers, and faculty members nationwide. Managed by INFLIBNET, the centralized subscription model eliminates duplication, reduces costs, and ensures that knowledge becomes a shared resource for all.

For researchers in smaller institutions or remote regions, this initiative is nothing short of revolutionary. It levels the playing field, empowering them to innovate and compete globally.

But Is It Timely Enough?

While ONOS feels like a long-overdue response to access inequities, it arrives at a moment when the global academic world is shifting toward Open Access (OA) publishing. This emerging model offers unrestricted access to research articles, challenging the traditional subscription-based frameworks ONOS relies on.

Consider these developments:

• By 2026, all U.S. federally funded research will be freely accessible under OA policies.
• The European Union’s Horizon Europe program mandates open publication for its funded projects.
• Over 53% of scientific papers worldwide are already available through OA platforms.

Critics argue that ONOS, with its significant price tag, risks investing in a model that may soon be obsolete. Could India’s ?6,000 crore be better spent on fostering homegrown solutions or advancing its OA policies?

Opportunities Missed: A Call for Self-Reliance

India has the talent, infrastructure, and expertise to lead in academic publishing. Much of the backend work for global publishing giants is already outsourced here, yet the country remains heavily reliant on Western platforms for dissemination.

ONOS could have gone further by addressing this dependence. What if the initiative had:

• Strengthened Indian Journals: Investing in raising the quality and global visibility of Indian publications.
• Encouraged Preprint Repositories: Promoting the rapid sharing of research before formal peer review.
• Adopted Green OA: Supporting researchers in self-archiving their work in institutional repositories.

These measures wouldn’t just reduce reliance on costly subscriptions—they’d also elevate India’s position in the global academic ecosystem, aligning with the nation’s vision of atmanirbharta (self-reliance).

A Bold Beginning, Not the Final Word

ONOS is undeniably a landmark initiative. It addresses immediate gaps in access and demonstrates a strong commitment to empowering India’s academic and research communities. However, its success will depend on its ability to adapt and evolve.

To truly maximize its impact, ONOS must:

• Integrate Open Access frameworks to future-proof the initiative.
• Foster an indigenous academic publishing ecosystem to reduce dependence on global players.
• Encourage policies that allow researchers to retain copyright of their work, enabling wider dissemination.

From Access to Empowerment

ONOS is more than just a subscription plan—it’s a vision for a knowledge-driven future. By bridging the gap between aspiration and access, it sets the stage for a new era of innovation and inclusivity.

But access is only the beginning. The next steps involve not just participating in the global academic landscape but shaping it. India’s journey from knowledge consumer to knowledge creator is well underway, and ONOS is a powerful catalyst for this transformation.

Knowledge is more than power—it is progress. With ONOS, India is sending a clear message to the world: the era of academic exclusion is over. Now, it’s time to build a self-reliant, globally competitive, and equitable knowledge economy that benefits all.