In a landmark initiative aimed at bridging research accessibility gaps, the Indian government has negotiated a massive subscription deal providing free access to nearly 13,000 journals for approximately 18 million students, faculty, and researchers across the country. Under the One Nation One Subscription scheme, the deal, valued at $715 million over three years, will commence on 1 January 2025.
This is the largest agreement of its kind globally, surpassing similar deals in Germany and the United Kingdom, which were limited to individual publishers and fewer institutions.
Expanded Access for Research and Education
The initiative covers 6300 government-funded institutions, significantly increasing access to high-quality academic resources. Currently, only 2300 institutions subscribe to about 8000 journals.
“This arrangement ensures universities with limited funding can access a broader range of journals,” said Aniket Sule of the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education. “It also allows specialized institutions to explore interdisciplinary research outside their primary fields.”
The initiative includes top publishers such as Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley, and the AAAS (publisher of Science).
Addressing Article-Processing Charges
The agreement also allocates funds to cover article-processing charges (APCs), enabling Indian researchers to publish open-access articles. Rahul Siddharthan from the Institute of Mathematical Sciences applauded this inclusion, noting that APCs, averaging $2000 globally, are often unaffordable for Indian scholars.
“By covering APCs, the government is promoting global visibility for Indian research,” Siddharthan stated.
Criticisms and Calls for Reform
While the deal has been widely praised for its immediate benefits, some scholars argue it perpetuates reliance on costly subscription-based models.
“This is, at best, a short-term measure,” said Sridhar Gutam of the ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research. “India should adopt diamond open-access models where publication costs are borne by governments or funders, ensuring free access for readers and authors.”
Critics like Muthu Madhan, director of the Global Library at O.P. Jindal Global University, believe the $715 million could be better allocated to research stipends and laboratory development. “With 50% of new articles already available through open access globally, this price tag seems excessive,” he noted.
Future Directions for India’s Research Ecosystem
Despite criticisms, proponents argue the deal addresses immediate challenges, especially for underfunded institutions. However, many experts, including Gutam, emphasize the need for broader systemic reforms to reduce reliance on European and U.S. publishers, which dominate prestigious journals.
“This deal fills a short-term gap,” Gutam said. “But the larger system of publishing and research access in India requires transformative change to ensure long-term sustainability.”
The One Nation One Subscription scheme is expected to significantly impact research output and collaboration, empowering millions of researchers with the tools to compete on a global stage while igniting debates about the future of scholarly publishing.
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