'One Nation, One Subscription' To Strengthen India's Research Ecosystem: Expert

The ONOS scheme is a cornerstone of India’s vision to become a self-reliant and developed nation by 2047, as articulated in the Viksitbharat@2047 roadmap, said the Ministry.

To empower Indian students in their research pursuits, the Union Cabinet approved the One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme on November 25, 2024. This transformative initiative aims to eliminate barriers to knowledge by providing students, faculty, researchers, and scientists across government higher education institutions (HEIs) and central government R&D centers access to leading international scholarly journals and articles. By equipping India’s academic and research communities with world-class resources, the ONOS scheme seeks to foster innovation and significantly elevate the quality of research across diverse disciplines, said the Ministry of Education.

The ONOS scheme is a cornerstone of India’s vision to become a self-reliant and developed nation by 2047, as articulated in the Viksitbharat@2047 roadmap, it said. This vision positions India as a global leader in cutting-edge research, technological advancements, and sustainable progress. By building on the nation’s rich intellectual heritage, the ONOS initiative is designed to strengthen India’s capacity for innovation and discovery, paving the way for a brighter, knowledge-driven future, said the ministry. 

“The One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) initiative seeks to make knowledge more accessible and strengthen the country's research ecosystem. By providing nationwide access to our extensive portfolio of over 2,400 premium journals, books, and state-of-the-art research tools, we aim to empower Indian researchers, students, and institutions to unlock their full potential," said Venkatesh Sarvasiddhi, Managing Director (MD) of Springer Nature India.

He said that Springer Nature platforms, which saw 8.5 million downloads per day in 2023, offer unparalleled resources to drive innovation, foster global collaboration, and elevate the global profile of Indian research. "By incorporating Springer Nature's comprehensive content into the ONOS framework, we are proud to play a key role in supporting India's goal of becoming a global leader in research and innovation, ensuring that knowledge is available to all, regardless of location or financial constraints," said Sarvasiddhi.

With a mission to democratize access to premier research resources, the ONOS scheme will benefit students, faculty, researchers, and scientists across more than 6,300 government-managed higher education institutions and R&D centers. By breaking down institutional and financial barriers, this initiative underscores India’s commitment to fostering a culture of excellence and ensuring that its academic community remains competitive on the global stage. Experts also hailed the move saying that it will help strengthen Indian research ecosystem.