From paywalls to pathways: How ONOS can transform Indian academic landscape
How would the ONOS scheme address the current disintegration in journal access?
Will it do anything to boost innovation and global collaboration?
Is this scheme sustainable and will it really address the issue of equitable access in India?
These and many similar questions have been plaguing the brightest minds in India since the government’s recent announcement of the One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme. Globally, India ranks among the top five countries in the world for its research output1, which is reflective of the country’s keen focus on the pursuit of excellence. Yet, funding constraints have led to disparity in access to knowledge. This unequitable distribution becomes evident not only when we compare India to developed nations but also when we look closely at the disparity within the country with public institutions and privately funded institutions.
The ONOS scheme is set to revolutionize the way higher education institutions (HEIs) access research papers by offering free and easy access to high-quality resources. Providing equitable opportunity to all students, faculty, and researchers is a huge stride in transforming Indian academia and cultivate a new generation of innovators. Moreover, ONOS is sparking interest globally where publishers, librarians, and academic societies are keen on understanding whether this scheme can be the blueprint to bridge resource gaps in other under-resourced regions across Global South.
What is the ONOS scheme?
The idea of the ONOS scheme was proposed a couple of years back as a way of democratizing knowledge and making it accessible to all. Here are some highlights about the scheme:
Under the ONOS scheme, around 6,300 state and central government HEIs will have access to 13,000 journals published by 30 international publishers via a single platform.
The government has allocated a budget of rupees 6,000 crore over the next three years i.e. from 2025 to 2027 to fund the scheme.
More publishers are expected to join the scheme eventually as further negotiations are being carried out.
INFLIBNET (Information and Library Network Centre), an autonomous centre under the University Grants Commission (UGC), is the central agency tasked with negotiating and implementing the national subscription deal.
ONOS aligns with the National Education Policy 2020 and the Viksit Bharat initiative, which aims to foster innovation and interdisciplinary research.
Access, opportunities, and research excellence
While it’s indisputable that India has an immense pool of talent, the lack of resources to support HEIs is also a topic of much discussion. We have seen many dinner table conversations turn into passionate debates about the potential of Indian talent if provided the same opportunities and access as those countries with greater access. This vision has finally come to fruition, but it remains to be seen whether this will help fulfil our vision of becoming a global hub of knowledge.
By leveling access disparities, students and researchers will have an opportunity to identify emerging trends, know cutting-edge ideas, and build on existing knowledge without any financial or institutional constraints. With HEIs freed of the financial burden of providing access to published research, funds can be reallocated towards other developmental areas to hone the next generation of innovators and problem solvers.
ONOS has the potential to transform the academic landscape of India and propel us toward becoming a key global force in research and innovation. By enhancing research capabilities and providing exposure to a variety of subject areas, students and researchers will have a chance to explore new and emerging fields. Moreover, since a unified platform will make journals across disciplines accessible, we can hope to see more collaboration and interdisciplinary research projects both at a national as well as global scale.
Breaking the barriers to knowledge through technology
As we discuss this, we cannot ignore the role technology plays in the successful implementation of this scheme. India has made major strides in digitization and most well-known institutions have advanced digital infrastructure. However, the penetration of high-speed internet and access to digital tools may be uneven in institutions especially in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. The ONOS scheme is a great opportunity to bridge this digital divide.
To ensure that all of the 1.8 crore students, students, faculty, and researchers can benefit from the scheme, the government plans to raise awareness in all institutions, provide training, and provide the required infrastructure. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools can further simplify and augment access to research and are worth considering – they can assist in quickly finding research material on a particular topic, summarize research papers, provide quick translations, among other things.
Road map ahead
As ONOS gears to launch on January 1, 2025, among much optimism, some larger questions loom such as how ONOS would stay relevant at a time when most publishers around the globe are embracing open access and how HEIs would continue to access paywalled journals after the scheme ends. While these questions need deeper reflection and are likely to be addressed once the impact and the uptake that ONOS generates becomes apparent, now is time to applaud the step forward to creating equitable opportunity to access research across India.
Reference:
National Science Board. (n.d.). Publications Output: U.S. Trends and International Comparisons. [Executive Summary]. National Science Foundation. Retrieved December 5, 2024, from https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb202333/executive-summary
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