As a researcher in India, navigating the world of academic publishing can be both exciting and daunting—especially when it comes to the costs involved in open access journals. Enter the One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme, launched by the Government of India on January 1, 2025. This initiative not only provides nationwide access to scholarly journals but also includes support for Article Processing Charges (APC), helping eligible authors publish in high-quality open access venues without breaking the bank. In this blog post, I’ll break down the ONOS APC support system in detail, drawing from the official guidelines and user manual. Whether you’re a faculty member, student, or researcher, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to apply successfully.
What is ONOS? A Quick Background
The ONOS scheme is a central sector program spearheaded by the Department of Higher Education (DHE) under the Ministry of Education. Approved in November 2024, it consolidates access to research articles from 30 major publishers, making them available to students, faculty, and researchers at central and state government Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and central R&D organizations. Before ONOS, India relied on fragmented library consortia and individual subscriptions, which limited access and efficiency.
Funding comes from pooled resources across participating ministries, supplemented by the Ministry of Finance. The portal is developed and maintained by INFLIBNET (Information and Library Network), an autonomous center under the University Grants Commission (UGC). While journal access is the core feature, APC support is a key component aimed at promoting open access publishing. Negotiated APCs for select top-tier open access journals are centrally funded, with journal lists curated by subject experts. These guidelines, effective from 2025, are designed to evolve based on feedback from the ONOS Core Committee.
The scheme addresses a critical pain point: APCs can run into thousands of dollars, often deterring researchers from publishing in prestigious open access journals. By covering these costs, ONOS aims to boost India’s research output and global visibility.
Number of Eligible Journals
As of 2025, the ONOS scheme supports APC for 94 eligible journals. These are fully open access journals ranked in the top 1% (or updated to top 5% in some communications) based on Scopus metrics like CiteScore, SNIP, or SJR across 27 subject areas. The list is updated annually and available on the ONOS portal. Examples include ACS Central Science, Acta Mathematica, and Acta Neuropathologica Communications, among others.
Number of Eligible Institutions State-Wise
The ONOS scheme covers over 6,500 government-managed HEIs and central R&D organizations nationwide. The eligible institutions primarily include central universities, state public universities, institutions of national importance, and government colleges. Below is a table showing the approximate number of government universities and government colleges per state/UT, with a total for eligible HEIs
| State/UT | Government Universities | Government Colleges | Total Eligible HEIs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 39 | 434 | 473 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Assam | 5 | 142 | 147 |
| Bihar | 15 | 459 | 474 |
| Chandigarh | 1 | 9 | 10 |
| Chhattisgarh | 8 | 200 | 208 |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daman & Diu | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Delhi | 7 | 69 | 76 |
| Goa | 1 | 14 | 15 |
| Gujarat | 21 | 562 | 583 |
| Haryana | 10 | 61 | 71 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 4 | 110 | 114 |
| Jammu and Kashmir | 8 | 70 | 78 |
| Jharkhand | 7 | 26 | 33 |
| Karnataka | 23 | 574 | 597 |
| Kerala | 10 | 125 | 135 |
| Lakshadweep | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 18 | 131 | 149 |
| Maharashtra | 18 | 429 | 447 |
| Manipur | 2 | 12 | 14 |
| Meghalaya | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Mizoram | 1 | 26 | 27 |
| Nagaland | 2 | 20 | 22 |
| Odisha | 12 | 140 | 152 |
| Puducherry | 2 | 21 | 23 |
| Punjab | 7 | 47 | 54 |
| Rajasthan | 14 | 172 | 186 |
| Sikkim | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| Tamil Nadu | 25 | 60 | 85 |
| Tripura | 1 | 30 | 31 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 27 | 223 | 250 |
| Uttarakhand | 5 | 82 | 87 |
| West Bengal | 19 | 148 | 167 |
Total (All India): Approximately 324 government universities + 4,420 government colleges = 4,744 HEIs (Note: this is based on available data; ONOS reports over 6,500 registered members, likely including additional institutions and updates as of 2025).
Check: Member Institutions
Eligibility: Who, What, and Where Can You Apply?
Not everyone or every publication qualifies for APC support. The guidelines are strict to ensure fairness and focus on high-impact research. Here’s the breakdown:
Eligible Authors
- Who can apply? Regular faculty, students, researchers, or Principal Investigators from HEIs and R&D institutions registered with ONOS.
Key Conditions:
- You must be the first author or corresponding author.
- Provide documentary evidence of article acceptance.
- Get authentication from your institution’s Head or ONOS nodal officer confirming you’re a bona fide employee/student/researcher.
- Demonstrate significant intellectual contribution (via a joint declaration from all authors).
- No duplicate claims: You can’t seek APC funding from multiple sources (e.g., other government grants or international agencies). If discovered, you’ll face refunds and potential legal/administrative actions.
- Additional notes: Payments are on a first-come, first-served basis. The Core Committee may cap the number of articles per author or institution to spread benefits widely. Also, if you’ve received APC support before, you must confirm the previous article’s publication before applying again.
Eligible Journals
- Only fully open access journals in the top 1% based on Scopus metrics (CiteScore, SNIP, or SJR) across 27 subject areas.
- Journals should be from the 30 ONOS publishers .
- The list is updated annually by INFLIBNET in consultation with DHE and posted on the ONOS website (Check).
- Grace period: If a journal is eligible in one year (e.g., 2025) but drops out the next, articles accepted in the eligible year still qualify, even if payment occurs later.
- Important: APC support is only for fees related to full open access mode. Hybrid journals or those with optional open access don’t qualify.
Eligible Articles
- Only original research articles accepted or published in eligible journals.
- No reviews, editorials, or other types.
- Must not have funding for APC from other sources (e.g., project grants). Authors declare this upfront.
If your work involves funding from grants that include open access fees, it’s ineligible. Payments are made directly to publishers via Indian banking procedures, with TDS and taxes deducted as per government rules.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Apply for APC Support
The application process is online via the ONOS portal and involves registration, OTP verification, form filling, and document uploads. The user manual provides a visual walkthrough with screenshots, making it user-friendly. Here’s a detailed step-by-step based on the manual:
- Access the Portal and Register:
- Visit https://onos.gov.in/ and navigate to the “Register” tab in header.
- You’ll see options: User Registration
- Fill in the User Registration form with your full name (as per Aadhaar), gender, designation, department, institute name, mobile number, email (institutional ), and captcha.
- Click “Next.” Your details will display—review and click “Get OTP.”
2. OTP Verification:
- An OTP is sent to your registered email.
- Copy it from your inbox (e.g., subject: “Your OTP Code”) and enter it on the portal.
- Click “Confirm” to proceed.
3. Enter Article Details:
- Select the journal from a dropdown list of eligible titles.
- Fill in article title, date of submission, date of acceptance, APC amount, and other details as per the publisher’s invoice.
- Add author details: Name (as in article and Aadhaar), nationality, affiliating institution, and country.
- For multiple authors, use the “+” button to add rows. All must provide details.
4. Declare Contributions:
- Indicate each author’s role using a table format (e.g., conceptualization, design, data collection, writing, etc.).
- This ensures the applicant made a significant contribution.
5. Submit and Download Declaration:
- Click “Submit” to complete the initial request.
- Download the auto-generated PDF declaration form, which includes:
- Article title, authors’ details, contributions table.
- Declarations against retraction, duplicate funding, etc.
- Signatures from applicant, co-authors, and Head of Institution (with seal).
- Print, sign, scan, and prepare for upload.
6. Upload Documents:
- Go to “Existing Submissions” using your email and OTP.
- Under pending status, upload:
- Signed Author Declaration (PDF).
- Acceptance email/letter from the journal (PDF).
- Proforma Invoice/Invoice (PDF).
- Final Invoice if APC changes (PDF).
- Each upload shows a success message; view PDFs to verify.
7. Track and Receive Notifications:
- Submitted details appear under “Existing Submissions” for tracking.
- You’ll get email confirmations for registration, submission, approval/rejection, and payment.
- If approved, INFLIBNET handles payment to the publisher and notifies you.
The process emphasizes security (OTP) and verification to prevent fraud. If issues arise, like OTP not arriving, check spam or contact support via the portal.
The Workflow Behind the Scenes
From the guidelines, the author workflow is streamlined:
- Register with institutional email and OTP.
- Select journal and submit article details.
- Institution/ONOS verifies affiliation.
- Upload declarations and invoices.
- ONOS reviews based on fund availability; accepts or rejects.
- INFLIBNET processes payment.
- Author gets intimation and must confirm publication for future applications.
Payments are direct to publishers, ensuring transparency. If an article is retracted or duplicate funding is found, refunds are mandatory, with institutional recovery if needed.
Why This Matters: Benefits and Tips for Success
ONOS APC support democratizes publishing, allowing Indian researchers to focus on innovation rather than costs. It could significantly increase open access outputs from India, fostering global collaboration.
Tips:
- Check the eligible journal list yearly.
- Prepare documents in advance: Acceptance proof, invoices, and signed declarations.
- Use institutional email for authenticity.
- Apply promptly—funds are limited and first-come, first-served.
Note: This post is based on official ONOS documents as of December 2025. Always refer to the portal for real-time guidelines.