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One Nation One Subscription scheme to commence from 1 January 2025

Central Sector Scheme for Rs 6000 Cr for three years (2025-27)

National consortium for journal subscriptions

 

Subscription Journals

• Centrally negotiated and centrally funded national subscriptions for e-journals

 • Access to every individual (who needs it) in the country

Article Processing Charges (APCs) –

• Central fund (Rs.150 Cr per year) for supporting APCs of selected good quality

Open Access journals

• Discounts on APCs for Indian authors as far as possible

 Benefits of ONOS Phase I

1. 213.6 % increased in number of users – students, faculty and researchers. The new figure will be 177.82 Lakh.

 2. 170.3 % increase in number of beneficiary institutions to 6380.

 3. 66 % increase in number of Journal titles to 13400.

 4. Wider Access to journals by each user. Before ONOS, it was discipline-specific access and post ONOS, all journals can be accessed by all users promoting inter disciplinary research.

Before the launch of this scheme, there were many challenges:

 • Massive outlay for subscriptions (Rs. 1500 Cr in 2017-18) but access is still restricted (~2360 institutions)

 • Duplication of journals among different consortia, that too, at differential pricing

• Exorbitant APCs

The solutions expected through ONOS are:

 • Expanding access to more institutions at lesser cost per institute

 • Uniform pricing of journals because of single consortium

 • Central APC fund and discounts on APCs

The scheme will have a phased implementation:

Phase-1 (3 years) – Merge all library consortia and bring in more institutions

 Phase-II – include Private academic institutions through a public-private partnership model

 Phase-III – universal access – designated access points at public libraries

2. Cover all streams of STEMM, management, social sciences and humanities.