Lok Sabha Question No. 2865 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-07
Subject: One Nation One Subscription
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Raja Amareshwara Naik, Sukanta Majumdar, Jayanta Kumar Roy, Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Bhola Singh, Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Rajveer (Raju Bhaiya) Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2865 ANSWERED ON 07.08.2023

## One Nation One Subscription

2865. SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK: DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY: SHRI RAJVEER SINGH (RAJU BHAIYA): DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR: SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR: SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has planned to adopt 'One Nation One Subscription' policy for journals to ensure access for researchers countrywide, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has set up cost negotiation committee to negotiate with publishers;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government spends crores of rupees on subscription to journals every year, if so, the details thereof during the last three years;
- (e) the other steps being taken by the Government regarding implementation of One Nation One Subscription initiative;
- (f) whether the Government is also bringing a legislation for One Nation One Subscription; and
- (g) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUBHAS SARKAR)

(a) to (g) One Nation One Subscription (ONOS), is an initiative of Government of India aims to acquire national licenses for e-journal/ database subscriptions from most of the prominent STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and social sciences publishers and database providers by combining multiple institutional and enabling consortia-based subscriptions in a phase manner. Concessions on Article Processing Charges (APCs) for open access publications are also aimed as part of ONOS. A Core Committee has been constituted to oversee Implementation of ONOS to facilitate academic and R&D institutions including universities, colleges, research organizations in the country. The Core Committee's members are Secretary (M/o Education), Secretary (Department of S&T), Scientific Secretary, (O/o the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India) and chaired by Principal Scientific Advisor of Government of India to ensure a smooth transition to ONOS.

The Core Committee has further notified a Planning & Execution Committee (PEC) and Cost Negotiation Committee (CNC). PEC comprises of coordinators of various library consortia, representatives from government academic and R&D institutions to prepare suitable plan, strategy and guidelines for smooth implementation of ONOS. Members of CNC are from the negotiation committees of the existing library consortia/institutions in the country to finalize the membership terms and conditions and the pricing details. These two committees, as mentioned above, are undertaking the process as per their terms of reference.

As per information provided by Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, it is estimated through a survey that total expenditure by Government in the year 2022 on journal subscriptions was approximate Rs. 995 Crore which includes the spending by the 10 library consortia funded by different ministries/departments and self-subscriptions by individual Government academic and R&D institutions. Hence, for the last three years the total expenditure is estimated to be nearly Rs. 2985 Crore.

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