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The Indian Union Cabinet, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has recently approved two significant initiatives aimed at bolstering the nation's academic and research landscape. The first, the 'One Nation One Subscription' (ONOS) scheme, represents a bold step towards democratizing access to scholarly research and academic journals across the country. This ambitious project, allocated a substantial budget of Rs 6,000 crore over three years (2025-2027), promises seamless digital access to a vast repository of academic resources for an estimated 1.8 crore students, faculty members, and researchers. The implementation of ONOS will be overseen by INFLIBNET, an autonomous body under the University Grants Commission (UGC), encompassing over 6,300 higher education institutions and central government R&D laboratories. This centralized approach aims to bridge the existing academic divides, particularly benefiting researchers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, aligning with the broader goals of Viksit Bharat@2047 and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
A key feature of ONOS is its strategy to negotiate national licenses with major STEM and social science publishers, effectively moving away from the current system of individual institutional subscriptions. This centralized licensing model is expected to streamline costs and significantly enhance the overall quality of academic and scientific research within India. The Department of Higher Education will manage a unified ONOS portal, guaranteeing user-friendly access to the resources. Simultaneously, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) will play a crucial role in monitoring usage and publication metrics, allowing for continuous optimization and improvement of the scheme's effectiveness. To ensure widespread adoption and usage among eligible institutions, nationwide awareness campaigns are planned to inform and guide users through the new system. The success of ONOS will heavily rely on effective communication and support to navigate the transition to this unified platform, ensuring that the intended beneficiaries fully utilize the resources provided.
Complementing the ONOS initiative, the Cabinet also approved the continuation of the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under NITI Aayog, now entering its second phase as AIM 2.0. This extension comes with an allocated budget of Rs 2,750 crore until March 31, 2028. AIM 2.0 builds upon the successes of its predecessor, aiming to further strengthen India's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. This involves fostering startup growth, creating employment opportunities, and facilitating the development of high-impact products and services. The initiative recognizes India's current position as the world's third-largest startup ecosystem, yet acknowledges the need for improvement, as evidenced by the nation's 39th ranking on the Global Innovation Index. AIM 2.0 is designed to address these challenges and enhance India's global competitiveness, contributing significantly to the achievement of the Viksit Bharat vision.
The combined impact of ONOS and AIM 2.0 promises to significantly reshape India's academic and innovation landscapes. By providing equitable access to critical research resources and simultaneously nurturing a thriving entrepreneurial environment, these initiatives are strategically positioned to drive progress toward a knowledge-based economy and a more globally competitive India. The substantial financial commitment to both schemes underscores the government's strong commitment to fostering innovation and education as key pillars for national development. The success of these initiatives, however, will depend not only on adequate funding but also on effective implementation, robust monitoring, and widespread adoption by researchers, students, and entrepreneurs across the country. Future evaluations will be crucial to assess their long-term impact and identify areas requiring further refinement or support.
Source: Union cabinet approves ‘One Nation One Subscription’ and extension of Atal Innovation Mission