Quick Facts
- ONOS gives access to 13,000 journals from 30 global publishers, free of cost.
- Over 1.8 crore students, faculty, and researchers across India will benefit directly.
- The government has set aside Rs 6,000 crore for 2025, 2026, and 2027 combined.
- INFLIBNET, under UGC, manages the scheme and coordinates all journal access.
One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) is a Central Sector Scheme that gives students, faculty, and researchers at government institutions free access to over 13,000 international research journals from 30 major publishers, starting January 1, 2025.
The UGC-backed initiative is now in its active second year in 2026. It is funded by Rs 6,000 crore from the Ministry of Education for three calendar years, 2025, 2026, and 2027. More than 6,500 government higher education institutions and R&D labs now have access. In its first year alone, Indian institutions downloaded over 11.3 crore research articles through the platform.
What Is One Nation One Subscription and How Does It Work?
Before ONOS, each college or university had to pay separately for journal subscriptions. Most smaller colleges in tier-2 and tier-3 cities simply could not afford them. Researchers often had access only to article abstracts, not the full papers they needed.
ONOS changes this completely. The Government of India pays a single national subscription fee directly to publishers. Every eligible institution then gets access to those journals at no additional cost. The INFLIBNET (Information and Library Network) Centre, an autonomous body under UGC based in Gandhinagar, manages the entire process.
Access works through the campus IP address of the institution. Students and researchers can also log in from outside campus using the INFED Access Federation set up by INFLIBNET. The journals are accessible on any device, including mobile phones.
Which Publishers and Journals Are Available Under ONOS?
The scheme covers 30 major international publishers. This includes the top four global academic publishers: Elsevier, Springer-Nature, Taylor and Francis, and Wiley. Other publishers include the American Chemical Society, American Physical Society, IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), Cambridge University Press, and ACM (Association for Computing Machinery).
The total number of journals available has grown from around 8,000 titles (under older consortium arrangements) to over 13,000 titles under ONOS. The subjects covered span all of STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine), management, social sciences, and humanities. There are no discipline-specific restrictions.
| Detail | Figures |
|---|---|
| Total Budget (2025 to 2027) | Rs 6,000 crore |
| Annual APC (Article Processing Charge) Fund | Rs 150 crore per year |
| Number of Publishers | 30 major international publishers |
| Number of Journals | Over 13,000 e-journals |
| Eligible Institutions | 6,500+ government HEIs and R&D institutions |
| Beneficiaries | Nearly 1.8 crore students, faculty, and researchers |
| First Year Downloads (2025) | Over 11.3 crore articles |
| Top User Institution (2025) | IIT Madras (40.3 lakh articles downloaded) |
| Implementing Agency | INFLIBNET, Gandhinagar |
| Scheme Period | January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2027 |
IIT Madras topped the list in 2025 with 40.3 lakh article downloads, followed by IISc Bangalore. This confirms that even India’s best-resourced institutions are using the platform heavily.
Who Can Access ONOS Journals in 2026?
Any student, faculty member, or researcher at a government higher education institution is eligible. This includes central universities, state universities, government colleges, IITs, NITs, IIMs, AIIMS, and central government R&D institutions. Private colleges are not currently eligible under Phase I.
To check if your institution is registered, visit the official ONOS portal at onos.gov.in. Access is automatic for users on the campus network. For off-campus access, users need to log in through the INFED Access Federation system linked from the ONOS portal.
The ONOS portal also features a tool called Knowledge Finder. It lets users search across all subscribed journals by title, ISSN (International Standard Serial Number), subject, publisher, or year. This makes it easy to locate the right journal quickly.
What Is the Article Processing Charge Support Under ONOS?
Publishing a research paper in an international journal often costs the author money. This fee is called an APC (Article Processing Charge). Under ONOS, the government has set aside Rs 150 crore per year specifically to help Indian researchers cover this cost.
Only papers accepted in fully open-access journals that rank in the top 1% by CiteScore, SNIP, or SJR (as published by Scopus) are eligible. Researchers can apply directly through the ONOS portal after their paper is accepted. In April 2025, ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) joined ONOS through a special agreement that allows Indian researchers to publish in ACM journals with zero APC charges.
About One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
One Nation One Subscription is a Central Sector Scheme approved by the Union Cabinet on November 25, 2024, and launched on January 1, 2025. It is administered by the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education, with INFLIBNET as the implementing agency. The scheme aligns with NEP 2020 and the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) Act, aiming to make India a global research leader by 2047.
What This Means For You
If You Are a Student
If your college is a government institution, you can now access over 13,000 top research journals for free. You no longer need to pay for individual articles or rely only on free summaries. Log in at onos.gov.in using your campus credentials. Use the Knowledge Finder tool to search by subject or journal name. This is especially useful for thesis work, research projects, and competitive exam preparation that requires reading recent studies. Check our exam calendar for upcoming research-linked national fellowships too.
If You Are a Parent
This scheme directly reduces the cost burden on your child’s education. Research journals that used to cost thousands of rupees per article are now free for students at government colleges. Your child has access to the same global knowledge as students at top international universities. This levels the playing field significantly for students outside major metro cities.
If You Are a School Principal or Teacher
ONOS currently covers higher education institutions, not schools. However, if you teach at a government college or work in a government R&D lab, you are eligible. You can use ONOS to stay current with the latest research in your subject area and bring that knowledge into your classroom.
If You Run a College or University
Ensure your institution is registered on the ONOS portal. INFLIBNET sends access credentials to registered institutions. Once set up, you save significantly on your annual journal subscription budget. That freed-up budget can go toward labs, infrastructure, or student support. NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) and NIRF ranking scores also factor in research output, so better journal access can translate to better rankings over time.
If You Work in Policy or Media
ONOS is a rare government scheme that has shown measurable first-year results: 11.3 crore article downloads across 6,500 institutions. The data trail is strong. Watch for Phase II planning announcements beyond 2027, and for state-level adoption reports. The APC support component is still evolving and will be an important policy story as more publishers join transformative agreements.
CampusFeed Take
The 11.3 crore download figure from ONOS’s first year tells a clear story: India had a massive suppressed demand for research access, and the scheme unlocked it immediately. What matters now is not the metros. IIT Madras topping the charts was expected. The real test is whether Tier 2 and Tier 3 state universities, which ONOS was primarily designed to serve, show a meaningful climb in research output by the time the scheme reaches its 2027 review. Institutions heads in smaller cities should treat ONOS registration not as an administrative task, but as a strategic research infrastructure decision with direct NIRF ranking consequences. The Phase I budget expires in December 2027. The government’s decision on Phase II will be the policy story to watch closely from late 2026 onward. By CampusFeed Desk.
What Is Next
ONOS Phase I runs until December 31, 2027. Upcoming webinars hosted by individual publishers are listed regularly on the ONOS portal at onos.gov.in. The next open webinar in the series is scheduled for June 1, 2026 (Cambridge University Press). Institutions not yet registered should contact INFLIBNET directly through the portal. Researchers looking to publish with APC support should check the list of eligible open-access journals on the portal and apply before their article is published, not after. Are you already using ONOS at your institution? Tell us what you have been reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)?
One Nation One Subscription is a Government of India scheme that gives students, faculty, and researchers at government institutions free access to over 13,000 international research journals from 30 publishers. The scheme runs from January 2025 to December 2027 and is funded by Rs 6,000 crore. Access is managed by INFLIBNET under the UGC.
Who is eligible for ONOS journal access in 2026?
All students, faculty members, and researchers at government higher education institutions and central government R&D institutions are eligible. This includes central and state government universities, colleges, IITs, NITs, IIMs, and AIIMS-type institutions. Private colleges are not included in Phase I. You can check your institution’s status at the ONOS portal.
How do I access journals under ONOS?
If you are on your institution’s campus network, access is automatic through the campus IP address. For off-campus access, use the INFED Access Federation login available on the ONOS portal. Use the Knowledge Finder search tool to locate journals by subject, title, or publisher. No personal payment is required at any stage.
Does ONOS help Indian researchers publish papers internationally?
Yes. ONOS includes a dedicated fund of Rs 150 crore per year for Article Processing Charges (APCs). This covers publishing costs in top-tier fully open-access journals ranked in the top 1% on Scopus. Researchers apply through the ONOS portal after paper acceptance. ACM journals also allow unlimited open-access publishing with zero APCs under a special 2025 agreement.
Will ONOS continue after 2027?
Phase I of ONOS is approved for 2025, 2026, and 2027. A decision on Phase II will depend on usage data, research output metrics, and government budgetary priorities. The ANRF (Anusandhan National Research Foundation) reviews usage periodically. An announcement on Phase II is expected no later than 2027.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is based on publicly available information at the time of publishing. Scheme details, eligibility criteria, publisher lists, and budget allocations can change without notice. Always verify the latest information from the official portal of the Ministry of Education (education.gov.in) and the ONOS portal (onos.gov.in) before taking any action. CampusFeed and its authors are not responsible for decisions made based on this article. This is not legal, financial, or career advice. Please consult a qualified professional for individual guidance.
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