Nikhil Abhishek
The Union Cabinet's recent approval of the One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme on November 25, 2024, marks a significant milestone in India's educational landscape.
With an allocation of Rs 6,000 crore over three years (2025-2027), the government aims to provide countrywide access to nearly 13,000 e-journals from 30 major international publishers.
The initiative is designed to benefit over 1.8 crore students, faculty, researchers, and scientists across more than 6,300 government higher-education institutions and Central government Research & Development (R&D) institutions.
Trying to understand the diverse opinions surrounding ONOS and its potential impact, EdexLive spoke to a wide range of individuals directly connected to academia and research. Their perspectives span enthusiastic support, cautious optimism, and outright criticism, reflecting the complex implications of such a sweeping policy change.
A visionary leap towards equitable access
Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), is a key architect and ardent supporter of ONOS. In an exclusive response to EdexLive, Kumar articulated the transformative potential of the policy.
"ONOS is specifically designed to address the inequities in access to scholarly resources," he stated, adding, "By centralising journal subscriptions and negotiating favourable terms, we aim to make high-quality research materials accessible to all Indian universities, regardless of their size or funding."
Kumar emphasised that smaller and underfunded institutions, which often struggle with prohibitive subscription costs, stand to gain significantly. "This levels the playing field, enabling students and faculty at these institutions to engage with cutting-edge research," he explained, saying, "It will contribute to advancements in their fields and ultimately enhance the quality of education and research across the country."
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