Cabinet okays One Nation One Subscription: What is ONOS? Who is it for?

The Union Cabinet, continuing with efforts to centralise education and health, has approved One Nation One Subscription, a scheme that will grant students and researchers centralised digital access to international scholarly research articles and journals.

The initiative will benefit around 1.8 crore students, faculty, researchers, and scientists of all disciplines, including those in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, encouraging "interdisciplinary studies" and strengthening India's "efforts to become a hub for research, learning, and knowledge", according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Here is all you need to know about the initiative:

How will One Nation One Subscription benefit students and researchers?

Thirty major international journal publishers have been included in the One Nation One Subscription initiative. Close to 13,000 e-journals published by them will be accessible to more than 6,300 government higher education institutions and central government R&D institutions.

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How will the scheme work?

Access to journals will be provided through a simple, user friendly and fully digital process.

The national subscription will be digitally coordinated by the Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET), an autonomous inter-university centre of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The Department of Higher Education (DHE) will have a unified portal, “One Nation One Subscription”, through which the institutions will be able to access the journals.

The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) will periodically review the usage of One Nation One Subscription and publications of Indian authors of these institutions.

The DHE and other ministries with higher education and research and development institutions under their management will conduct Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaigns among students, faculty, and researchers on availability and access to One Nation One Subscription.

State governments will also be asked to carry out campaigns to maximize the use of the facility.

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Who can access One Nation One Subscription scheme?

All higher educational institutions under the management of the central or state governments and R&D Institutions of the central government can access the One Nation One Subscription scheme.

This list covers more than 6,300 institutions, translating into nearly 1.8 crore students, faculty and researchers.

Cost to treasury

For now, almost Rs 6,000 crore has been allocated for One Nation One Subscription for the calendar years of 2025, 2026 and 2027.