Govt approves One Nation One Subscription initiative | How will it benefit 2 crore Indians?

Summary

The Indian government's 'One Nation, One Subscription' initiative aims to provide affordable access to over 13,000 global academic journals for students, researchers, and faculty across India. With a ₹6,000 crore investment, the plan consolidates costly individual subscriptions, benefiting 1.8 crore individuals in over 6,300 higher education institutions. This initiative will enhance research and development, providing a significant boost to India’s academic community. It is set to be implemented by January 2025, offering centralized digital access and enabling cost-effective knowledge sharing across the nation.

Takeaways

• 😀 **One Nation, One Subscription** aims to enhance access to academic research by providing affordable, consolidated subscriptions to over 13,000 journals for Indian institutions.
• 😀 The initiative is expected to benefit over **1.8 crore students**, faculty, and researchers across approximately **6,300 government higher education institutions** in India.
• 😀 **PM Modi** has endorsed this initiative as a game-changer for **research and development** in India and a means to empower youth.
• 😀 The Government of India is allocating ₹6,000 crore until 2027 to implement the **One Nation, One Subscription** initiative.
• 😀 The initiative will reduce the high cost of individual academic subscriptions, making global research materials more accessible to Indian students and researchers.
• 😀 By eliminating the need for multiple individual subscriptions, the initiative will lead to **cost savings**, offering institutions a **single subscription** model.
• 😀 More than **30 global publishers**, including **Cambridge University Press** and **Oxford University Press**, have agreed to include their journals in the platform.
• 😀 The initiative is designed to strengthen **research and development** in India by ensuring wider access to academic resources.
• 😀 The **Study IQ** platform is providing educational resources and discounts to help students take advantage of the initiative and prepare for competitive exams.
• 😀 The initiative will be implemented from **January 2025**, with a national subscription platform expected to be launched under the oversight of the **National Research Foundation**.

Q & A

What is the 'One Nation, One Subscription' initiative?

The 'One Nation, One Subscription' initiative is a government plan to consolidate access to international academic journals and publications for Indian educational institutions, making them more affordable and accessible. The goal is to provide a single, unified subscription to journals for all higher education institutions in India.

Why was this initiative introduced by the government?

This initiative was introduced to overcome the high cost of individual subscriptions to academic journals, which were previously a burden for many institutions. By consolidating subscriptions, the government aims to make these resources more accessible and affordable for students, faculty, and researchers across India.

What is the budget allocated for the 'One Nation, One Subscription' initiative?

The government has allocated ₹66000 crore for the 'One Nation, One Subscription' initiative, which will be used over a period of three years (2025, 2026, and 2027). This budget will support the subscription costs for over 6300 higher education institutions across India.

How many students, faculty, and researchers will benefit from this initiative?

Approximately 1.8 crore students, faculty members, and researchers across India's higher education institutions are expected to benefit from the 'One Nation, One Subscription' initiative.

How does the 'One Nation, One Subscription' initiative work?

The initiative consolidates subscriptions to top academic journals into a single, affordable package for all institutions in India. Instead of each institution purchasing individual subscriptions, the government negotiates and purchases a single subscription that provides access to a wide range of global journals.

How will this initiative save costs for the country?

By negotiating a collective subscription, the government can secure better deals with publishers. For instance, accessing 13,000 journals individually would cost around ₹4000 crore, but with this initiative, the cost will be reduced to just ₹800 crore, resulting in significant savings.

Which international publishers have agreed to be part of this initiative?

30 major international publishers, including Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, and the American Physical Society, have agreed to participate in the 'One Nation, One Subscription' initiative.

How many academic journals will be available to Indian institutions through this initiative?

Through this initiative, over 13,000 academic journals will be made available to Indian higher education institutions, covering a wide range of disciplines and research areas.

What is the expected impact of this initiative on India's research and development efforts?

The initiative is expected to significantly enhance research and development in India by providing researchers and students with access to global academic journals, thereby improving the quality and scope of research. It will also make it easier for Indian institutions to publish their research internationally.

When will the 'One Nation, One Subscription' initiative be implemented?

The 'One Nation, One Subscription' initiative is scheduled to be implemented starting from January 2025. A national platform will be set up to manage access to these journals, and institutions will be encouraged to use it effectively.

What is the role of the National Research Foundation (NRF) in this initiative?

The National Research Foundation (NRF) will oversee the implementation of the 'One Nation, One Subscription' initiative. It will monitor the progress of the initiative and assess its impact, ensuring that it is effectively benefiting students, researchers, and academic institutions.