India's Higher Education Landscape Sees Growing Emphasis on Open Publishing Models

Indian universities and research institutions are increasingly exploring open access options for disseminating scholarly work. This shift aligns with broader national goals for accessible knowledge and aligns with initiatives from bodies like the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Ministry of Education. Multidisciplinary journals, which span fields such as sciences, humanities, social sciences, and engineering, are gaining attention as platforms that encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration among faculty and researchers at institutions across the country.

Policy Changes Fuel Interest in Accessible Research Outputs

The UGC has moved away from its previous CARE list of approved journals toward a set of suggestive parameters focused on transparency, peer review quality, and ethical practices. This adjustment, effective in recent updates, allows researchers at central and state universities more flexibility in choosing credible outlets, including open access ones. Concurrently, mandates from the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Department of Biotechnology (DBT) require funded research to be deposited in repositories, promoting green open access alongside gold models where articles are immediately available without paywalls.

These policies respond to the need for greater visibility of Indian research globally while addressing concerns over high subscription costs that previously limited access for smaller institutions and individual scholars.

The Role of National Initiatives in Expanding Access

The One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme, rolled out in early 2025, represents a significant government effort to provide nationwide access to over 13,000 scholarly journals from major international publishers for thousands of higher education institutions and research labs. Administered through a central portal, ONOS covers publicly funded entities and includes provisions for article processing charge support in select open access publications. Early data indicates millions of downloads, with leading institutions such as IIT Madras among the top users.

By reducing financial barriers to reading international content, ONOS indirectly supports Indian researchers in producing and publishing their own work in open formats, fostering a more vibrant ecosystem for multidisciplinary studies at universities nationwide.

University-Led Platforms and Journal Launches

Several prominent institutions have developed dedicated publishing platforms to host open access content. Delhi University, for instance, operates Delhi University Publishing, which supports peer-reviewed open access journals across disciplines without requiring authors to pay fees—the costs are covered institutionally. This includes titles focused on undergraduate research and innovation, humanities, and social sciences, providing a model for other central universities.

Similar efforts appear at other campuses, where libraries and research offices encourage faculty to contribute to or launch journals that emphasize multidisciplinary approaches. These initiatives help address gaps in traditional publishing while aligning with institutional goals for research impact and visibility in global rankings.

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Impact on Faculty, Researchers, and Early-Career Academics

For academics seeking positions or promotions at Indian universities, publishing in reputable open access outlets has become a practical consideration. The removal of the mandatory PhD publication requirement by the UGC has eased pressures on doctoral candidates, allowing focus on quality over quantity. However, administrators at colleges and universities continue to value demonstrated research output for tenure-track roles and grants.

Multidisciplinary journals offer opportunities for collaboration between departments, such as combining insights from environmental science and policy studies or engineering and management. This is particularly relevant for PhD-track job seekers who benefit from building diverse publication records that appeal to interdisciplinary programs at institutions like Jawaharlal Nehru University or various IITs.

Challenges Including Predatory Practices and Quality Assurance

Despite the momentum, the landscape includes risks. Predatory publishers targeting Indian researchers with low-quality or deceptive journals remain a concern, as noted in discussions around research integrity. The shift from the CARE list places greater responsibility on individual scholars and institutions to evaluate outlets based on indexing, peer review standards, and archiving policies.

University administrators are responding by offering workshops on journal selection and supporting diamond open access models, where neither authors nor readers pay fees. Events such as the Global Summit on Diamond Open Access held in Bengaluru in 2026 highlight ongoing efforts to build sustainable, community-driven platforms.

Benefits for Research Visibility and Collaboration

Open access multidisciplinary journals enhance the reach of Indian scholarship. Research from universities in states across the country becomes available to global audiences without subscription barriers, potentially increasing citations and international partnerships. This supports national objectives like Viksit Bharat 2047 by strengthening the knowledge economy.

Stakeholders, including faculty at state universities and researchers at CSIR labs, report improved access to collaborative opportunities. Institutional repositories, building on Shodhganga for theses, complement journal publishing by archiving preprints and data, further advancing open science practices.

Perspectives from Administrators and Policymakers

University leaders emphasize the need for balanced approaches that maintain rigorous standards while expanding access. Funding for article processing charges through ONOS and institutional budgets helps level the playing field for researchers at resource-constrained colleges. Policymakers at the Ministry of Education view these developments as steps toward equitable knowledge dissemination, though they stress the importance of avoiding low-quality outlets.

Faculty associations and academic bodies advocate for training programs to help early-career researchers navigate the options effectively, ensuring that publishing decisions support both career progression and the broader goals of accessible scholarship.

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Future Outlook and Recommendations for Institutions

Looking ahead, Indian higher education institutions are likely to see continued growth in university-supported open access initiatives. Investments in digital infrastructure, combined with policy support, could lead to more high-quality multidisciplinary journals emerging from campuses. Recommendations include strengthening peer review processes, exploring consortia for diamond open access, and integrating open science training into faculty development programs.

Administrators are encouraged to monitor indexing services and promote repositories alongside journals. For job seekers, building expertise in open access publishing can differentiate candidates in a competitive academic market.

Conclusion: A Transformative Shift in Scholarly Communication

The evolving environment around open access in India's higher education sector reflects a commitment to broader dissemination of knowledge. While challenges persist, the combination of national policies, institutional platforms, and researcher engagement points to sustained progress. Universities that adapt thoughtfully stand to enhance their research profiles and contribute meaningfully to global academic discourse.