Mumbai: A new evaluation from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Mumbai reveals that the implementation of the One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme will result in an 18% reduction in research expenses. The ONOS initiative aims to provide students, teachers, and researchers access to over 13,000 research papers with just one click.
Professor Manoj K Tiwari, Director of IIM Mumbai, emphasised that the success of research heavily depends on accurate data and facts, along with the technical expertise of the researcher. “However, other factors, such as the cost of research tools, consumables, and support services, play a significant role in strengthening research,” Professor Tiwari said. He also highlighted the challenges posed by the lack of funding for research, which affects not only the quality of research but also the overall quality of education.
Currently, academic institutions subscribe to various international research journals individually, which puts a strain on their research budgets. To address these issues, the Union Cabinet, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the ONOS scheme. This central government scheme aims to provide essential research support by allowing access to a centralised pool of journals. With an allocation of Rs 6,000 crore over the next three years (2025-2027), the ONOS scheme will simplify research and publication processes for government institution researchers, observed the IIM Mumbai report.
Starting from January 2025, the ONOS scheme will benefit more than 6,300 institutions, covering 1.8 crore students, teachers, and researchers. These institutions will gain digital access to over 13,000 e-journals from 30 leading international publishers. The scheme is expected to eliminate the need for educational institutions to individually purchase expensive international research publications.
Professor Tiwari further explained that IIM Mumbai currently has access to journals from six of these publishers, which provides access to 2,879 internationally renowned journals and more than 30,000 conference proceedings. “Following the launch of ONOS, the institute will have access to 13,000 journals, an increase of 38%. This will also lead to an 18% reduction in the library’s allocated budget, with funds potentially redirected toward other developmental projects or research initiatives,” Professor Tiwari informed.
The potential impact of ONOS across 10,845 institutions in India, particularly those participating in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), is immense. The Ministry of Education’s preliminary results also indicate a 213.6% increase in the number of beneficiary users and a 167.4% increase in the number of beneficiary institutions. Overall, ONOS will allow beneficiaries to access 60% more research publications.
