IIM Mumbai reveals ‘One Nation One Subscription’ scheme to slash research costs by 18%

The One Nation, One Subscription (ONOS) scheme aims to revolutionize India’s research landscape by reducing costs and improving access to academic resources. According to an assessment by IIM Mumbai, the scheme is expected to cut research expenses by 18%, providing students and researchers with access to over 13,000 research papers with a single click.

Professor Manoj Kumar Tiwari, Director of IIM Mumbai, highlighted that the success of research depends not only on technical expertise but also on factors like time, equipment, and research support services. These elements, along with data reliability, contribute to a strong research ecosystem.

Currently, researchers face significant financial challenges due to the high cost of international journal subscriptions. This burden impacts both research quality and the financial stability of higher education institutions. To address these issues, the Union Cabinet, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the One Nation, One Membership scheme under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation. This initiative aims to ease financial pressures while enhancing research infrastructure across the country.

The ONOS scheme, launched in January 2025, will provide centralized digital access to over 13,000 e-journals from 30 leading international publishers. With a budget of Rs 6,000 crore allocated for 2025-2027, it will benefit 6,300 institutions and 1.8 crore students, researchers, and teachers by eliminating the need for costly individual subscriptions.

In its first phase, ONOS will expand resources for institutions like IIM Mumbai, increasing access to journals and conference proceedings. This will boost publication output by 38% and reduce library expenses by 18%. Nationwide, the scheme is expected to increase the number of beneficiary users by 213.6% and institutions by 167.4%, with a 60% rise in access to publications per user.

This transformative initiative supports India’s vision for Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat @ 2047. It fosters a stronger research ecosystem and reinforces the national focus on innovation and development under the “Jai Anusandhan” initiative.