₹6,000 crore scheme to help government institution students access journals launched

Government higher education institutions, and research and development laboratories of the Union government will get the benefit of the scheme which has an allocation for three years, from 2025-27.

The Union Cabinet on Monday (November 25, 2024) cleared the ‘One Nation One Subscription’ scheme, a new Central-sponsored initiative for providing countrywide access to scholarly research articles and journal publications.

The scheme, the Union Cabinet said, will be administered through a simple, user friendly and fully digital process.

Government higher education institutions, and research and development laboratories of the Union government will get the benefit of the scheme, which has an allocation of ₹6,000 crore for three years, from 2025-27.

“The benefits of One Nation One Subscription scheme will be provided to all Higher Educational Institutions under the management of the Central or State Government and Research & Development Institutions of the Central Government, through a national subscription coordinated by a central agency, namely the Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET), an autonomous inter-university centre of the University Grants Commission (UGC). This list covers more than 6,300 institutions, translating into nearly 1.8 crore students, faculty and researchers, who will be able to potentially avail benefits of One Nation One Subscription,” the Cabinet said in a release after its meeting.

“The initiative will expand access to scholarly journals to a vast diaspora of students, faculty, researchers and scientists of all disciplines, including those in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, thereby promoting core as well as interdisciplinary research in the country. The Anusandhan National Research Foundation will periodically review the usage of One Nation One Subscription and publications of Indian authors of these institutions,” the Cabinet added.

Published - November 25, 2024 10:47 pm IST