The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the ‘One Nation One Subscription’ (ONOS) Scheme. The new initiative is designed to offer seamless, countrywide access to scholarly research articles and journals for higher education and central government R&D laboratories.
It aims to allocate INR 6,000 crore for three consecutive years–2025, 2026, and 2027–to bolster higher education and research in the nation. This scheme strives to revamp the picture of higher education in India. Designed as a Central Sector Scheme, it will be implemented through a user-friendly, fully digital platform.
ONOS: Why has this scheme been launched?
The scheme has been implemented to serve over 6,300 institutions, including government universities, colleges, research institutions, and R&D laboratories, benefitting more than 1.8 crore students, faculty, and researchers. The ONOS scheme will extend the benefits to tier-2 and tier-3 cities, offering interdisciplinary and advanced research across numerous disciplines.
PM Modi’s ONOS scheme: How will students benefit from ONOS?
The One Nation One Subscription policy aims to promote equitable access to education benefitting students and driving growth for the country. Here is how students can reap the benefits of this scheme.
Extensive access to educational resources
The scheme promises to democratize access to academic resources, offering nearly 13,000 high-impact e-journals from 30 leading international publishers. Coordinated by the Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET), an autonomous UGC inter-university center, this digital subscription will serve over 6,300 institutions, reaching approximately 1.8 crore students, faculty, researchers, and scientists, including those in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
Wider scope for excellence in research
With an allocation of nearly ₹6,000 crore for 2025, 2026, and 2027 under a Central Sector Scheme, One Nation One Subscription is set to transform India’s research ecosystem. By removing barriers to quality academic resources, the initiative encourages both core and interdisciplinary research, fostering innovation across disciplines.
Alignment with national goals
The One Nation One Subscription scheme aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), and the government’s Viksit Bharat@2047 vision. The policy aspires to bridge the gaps in access to academic resources, promoting innovation and elevating the quality of higher education in the country.
Mitigating the rural-urban divide
The policy aiming to extend benefits to students residing in tier-2 and tier-3 cities will help in reducing the knowledge gap between urban and rural students.
How to access the One Nation One Subscription policy?
A dedicated portal, “One Nation One Subscription,” will serve as the gateway for institutions to access these resources. The ANRF will periodically review the scheme’s impact, particularly its usage and contributions from Indian authors within these institutions. To ensure widespread awareness, the Department of Higher Education, alongside state governments and relevant ministries, will conduct extensive Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns.
This initiative is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping India’s research ecosystem, enabling broader participation in academic discourse and strengthening the country’s position in global innovation and education.
The birth of ONOS
Prime Minister Modi during his address to the nation on August 15, 2022 on the occasion of Independence Day focussed on the pivotal role that research and development plays in India’s progress. He issued a call for “Jai Anusandhan,” underscoring the nation’s commitment to innovation and scientific exploration.
Drawing inspiration from the vision, the National Education Policy (2020) has positioned research as a fundamental tool in achieving excellence in education and national development. To further this objective, the government established the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) as a pivotal step toward fostering a robust research culture.
Budding on these initiatives, the Union Cabinet has approved the ‘One Nation One Subscription scheme’, aimed at providing nationwide access to top-tier international research articles and scholarly journals.
This step also adds fuel to the nation’s vision of becoming self-reliant (Atmanirbhar Bharat) and achieving the goals of Viksit Bharat@2047.
