One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) and APC Support: A Practical Guide for Authors

KEY MESSAGE

Eligible researchers affiliated with ONOS member institutions may receive central APC support for articles published in selected eligible Gold Open Access journals, subject to the current ONOS rules, journal eligibility, documentation, verification, and availability of support.

Introduction

Publishing a quality research paper in a renowned international open access journal has costs associated with a process known as Article Processing Charges (APCs). There are publishers who charge APCs in thousands of US dollars, making it financially challenging for researchers and academics around the world. The Government of India launched the One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme to help address this problem. In addition to enabling access to thousands of scholarly journals, ONOS provides financial support to cover APCs for authors affiliated with ONOS’s partner institutions for publishing in high-quality Gold Open Access journals.

This is encouraging news for Indian authors. If your institution is a partner of ONOS, you published an article in a journal supported by ONOS, and APCs will be paid centrally by ONOS instead of you. However, the ONOS APC provision is not a full waiver for all open access journals. Each journal has its eligibility, documentation, and verification requirements.

What is ONOS?

ONOS stands for One Nation One Subscription. It is a government of India program aimed at providing access to international scholarly publications to eligible government higher educational institutions and research institutions.

The Information and Library Network Centre (INFLIBNET Centre) manages the ONOS program. The program offers access to numerous scholarly publications and an APC support component for publishing in Open Access. The ONOS portal provides access to approximately 13,000 journals from more than 30 publishers and approximately 6,500 member institutions. The information and resources listed may change, so authors should check the official ONOS portal for the latest updates.

What does APC mean?

APC refers to Article Processing Charge or Article Publishing Charge. Many open access journals provide an open publishing option for research articles. To offset the cost of publishing a research article, instead of a subscription model, open access publishers may charge authors or institutions/funders an APC.

Depending on the journal and the publisher, APCs are normally in the hundreds to thousands of USD. These charges will be a major barrier to open publishing for many Indian researchers, as they lack dedicated publication funding. 

How is ONOS APC Support different from an APC waiver?

ONOS APC support is not an APC waiver. Typically, a publisher grants an APC waiver. For ONOS, under the given conditions, eligible APCs are centrally funded through the ONOS implementation system.

• ONOS APC support: eligible APCs are centrally funded upon review and approval of the application.
• Discount from a publisher: a publisher independently lowers APCs for eligible authors.
• Waiver from a publisher: a publisher grants a full or partial waiver for APCs.

These mechanisms have to be viewed separately. Check for which of these mechanisms applies to your article.

Who is eligible for ONOS APC support?

Regular faculty, students, researchers, and principal investigators affiliated with ONOS-registered member institutions are mentioned as eligible for ONOS APC support, per the published ONOS guidelines.

The institution’s eligibility is essential. Researchers must verify their institution’s ONOS membership when considering using the APC support.

The applicant has to also fulfill the authorship and contribution criteria of the APC scheme.

Authors should not rearrange the order of authorship solely to qualify for funding.

Can researchers at private universities apply for ONOS APC support?

As of now, private universities and colleges are not eligible for ONOS Phase I. Since eligibility criteria are subject to change due to modifications in the ONOS program, authors are advised to consult the latest official information on ONOS.

Which journals are eligible for ONOS APC support?

Open access publication is not an absolute requirement. The information on the ONOS APC support for the moment describes a selection of high-quality Gold Open Access journals. The current ONOS criteria for journal selection include journals positioned in the top 5% of any of the three Scopus metrics: CiteScore, SNIP, and SJR.

Users must verify an available publication in the official APC journal list. The ONOS portal shows that the APC journal list was published on 22 June 2026, when this guide was prepared, and is presumed to be the most recent version. Authors should confirm that the list is the most current before applying. 

To confirm APC eligibility

• Go to the official ONOS APC-supported journal list.
• Search the exact journal title or the ISSN/e-ISSN.
• Verify that the journal is listed.
• Check the applicable Open Access model and publisher-specific conditions.
• Save or record the eligibility information for your publication file.
• Do not cite old screenshots, WhatsApp messages, third-party sites, outdated journal lists, or informal evidence pointing to a publisher being ‘ONOS supported.’
• Having an ONOS subscription does NOT mean APC support automatically applies.
• A publisher can participate in the ONOS program for providing scholarly resources access, while only select journals from that publisher are eligible to receive APC support. Therefore, authors should conduct two separate checks:

Is the publisher/journal available through ONOS?

Has the journal been included in the list of ONOS APC-supported journals?

For authors seeking APC support, the second check is more important.

Gold Open Access vs. Hybrid Journals

Gold Open Access journals are journals that publish articles under the Open Access Publishing model. On the other hand, hybrid journals are subscription journals that provide open access to individual articles for a cost (APC).

The primary focus of the central ONOS APC Support mechanism is on a select list of Gold Open Access journals. Some publishers may offer special arrangements for Indian authors on selected hybrid journals. Authors are advised to verify this journal and the arrangement itself.

The safest strategy: Check ONOS BEFORE submitting

The most common mistake researchers make is that they check APC funding only after they have received a positive decision on the article. A better approach is to check the journal, institution, and author eligibility before you submit the article.

Step-by-step: How to obtain APC support through ONOS

1. Check if your university, college, or research institution is eligible: First, confirm that your university, college, or research institution is registered on ONOS and is eligible for the APC support mechanism.
2. Choose a Journal: Evaluate journal scope, the peer-review process, ethical publishing, indexing and publication, the open access publishing model, and the journal’s scientific value. Do not choose a journal based solely on APC funding; financial consideration is important.
3. Check the Journal on the ONOS APC List: In the official APC-supported list, search for the journal by its title or ISSN. Being Scopus indexed or open access or even having a publisher in the list does not automatically make a journal eligible.
4. Upload your manuscript: In the system used by the publisher, submit your manuscript and enter your name, institutional affiliation, email, ORCID, and information as the corresponding author.
5. Wait for the journal to publish your manuscript: The APC funding is applicable only to published articles. Keep all correspondence related to the publication of the article.
6. Request APC Proforma invoice: Get the APC invoice obtained from the publisher, with all the relevant details of the article, including the journal and amount, currency, and the publication details.
7. ONOS APC Portal Registration: Use the ONOS APC support application and fill in the author and institutional information.
8. Enter article details: Fill in the journal, title, APC amount, article information, submission and publication details, and other required information.
9. Upload the required documents: The currently displayed ONOS information requires you to upload the publication acceptance letter, the APC proforma invoice, and the signed author declaration.
10. Complete institutional verification: Contact your institution’s ONOS nodal officer, either from the library or an administrator, to help expedite application verification.
11. ONOS verification: Evaluation and determination of the application in relation to the institution, author, journal, article, and documentary. Clarifications may be sought.
12. APC payment: If approved, ONOS processes the APC per the relevant terms. As per the current ONOS information, ONOS remits the payment to the publisher on behalf of the corresponding author.

How long does it take ONOS to process APCs?

APC requests are processed after verification of the required documents, and the payment process is approximately 3 to 4 weeks. Therefore, authors should publish their articles as soon as possible after the acceptance notification, preferably prior to the publisher’s deadline for requesting APCs.

Should authors pay the APC and request reimbursement?

Authors should not assume that they can pay the APC and request reimbursement at a later date, as payment is done by ONOS on behalf of the corresponding author. If authors plan to request ONOS support, they should request it prior to making payment.

Can ONOS support be used in combination with another APC?

Authors should not request funding for the same article from multiple sources. Current ONOS support states that authors may be liable for a refund if the same article has received APC support from another national or international organization or funding agency.

What happens if the article becomes retracted?

In the event that an article is retracted, current ONOS guidelines contain instructions for recovering APC support (if applicable). Therefore, authors are expected to use the ONOS APC support as they would any other publicly funded research infrastructure.

Additional APC discounts for authors in India

The ONOS website outlines several publisher-specific initiatives. These initiatives are not affiliated with the central ONOS APC support mechanism.

Wolters Kluwer Lippincott: A 50% support initiative for select quality open access and hybrid journals.

Elsevier: A geographic pricing program providing 80% discounts for participating fully Gold Open Access Journals.

Springer Nature: A country-specific APC pricing plan offering 75% discounts for select journals.

Due to the journal-specific and eligibility-specific criteria of publisher programs, authors must confirm the current terms prior to submission or payment.

Common mistakes authors should avoid

• Scoping and publishing Open Access articles without APC support because they mistakenly believe all Scopus journals are covered.
• Given full coverage of all journals published by ONOS members
• Verify the journal name.
• Referencing an old ONOS APC list
• Conditions of the program and the types of journals can change.
• Paying ONOS APC and then checking
• Use the ONOS process first, then pay if you decide to use ONOS support.
• Waiting for the publisher’s deadline
• The process can take several weeks.
• Adding author only to obtain support
• Authorship must reflect a true scholarly contribution.
• Submit through multiple funding sources.
• Do not claim the same APC more than once.

A simple ONOS APC strategy for researchers

Before Submission

1. Verify that the journal(s) of interest are within the scope of the discipline.
2. Please verify it against the ONOS APC list.
3. Verify it is within the institutional scope.
4. Verify authors in the scope.
5. Submit the manuscript.

After Acceptance

1. Received acceptance.
2. Request the APC quote.
3. Submit the APC quote in the ONOS APC system.
4. Submit the APC system for institutional verification.
5. Verify the ONOS APC processing status.
6. Communicate with the publisher.
7. The payment request is processed promptly.

ONOS APC Checklist for Authors

• ☐ Is my institution enrolled with ONOS?
• ☐ Is my target journal among the current ONOS APC-supported journals?
• ☐ Is the journal scientifically aligned with my manuscript?
• ☐ Does the journal employ an open access model?
• ☐ Do I qualify under the current ONOS stipulations?
• ☐ Have I correctly entered my institutional affiliation?
• ☐ Is my ORCID correct?
• ☐ Is my author position valid?
• ☐ Does the article have an alternate source for APC funding?
• ☐ Have I familiarized myself with the current ONOS guidelines?
• ☐ Have I informed my institutional ONOS coordinator?
• ☐ Have I obtained the acceptance letter after the manuscript has been accepted for publication?
• ☐ Have I obtained the publisher’s pro forma invoice?
• ☐ Have I submitted the ONOS APC application?
• ☐ Have I submitted all the required documents?
• ☐ Have I monitored the status of my APC application?

Does ONOS guarantee acceptance?

No. ONOS APC support is a financial support mechanism for publishing. It does not guarantee acceptance, peer review, publication, indexing, impact factor, or preferential editorial consideration.

Researchers need to fulfill the journal’s peer review and editorial criteria. The primary considerations include the quality and originality of the research, methodological rigor, and ethical standards. Researchers should never select journals that publish poor-quality research just because ONOS coverage is available. A financially free yet scientifically unfit journal or a journal of questionable reputation is an unsuccessful method of publication.

Why ONOS APC Support is Important to Indian Researchers

A major barrier to open access publishing is the high cost to international researchers who don’t have grants allocated for publication. ONOS has created a gateway for Indian researchers to access open access publishing.

• Researchers who have not been awarded post-doctoral publication grants.
• Researchers working in eligible government institutions.
• Researchers working in multidisciplinary teams.
• Researchers seeking international publication.
• Researchers in the early stages of their careers.
• Research students and PhD scholars.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Does ONOS grant APC waivers to any Indian researcher?
• No. The author must be from an eligible institution and meet the journal’s criteria in the APC support rules.
• Does ONOS grant APC waivers to every journal that is indexed in Scopus?
• No. Authors should verify the journal in the current official ONOS APC-supported list.
• Does ONOS grant APC waivers to every Open Access journal?
• No. The central APC mechanism supports selected eligible Gold Open Access journals.
• Do we have to submit this application before you submit your manuscript for publication?
• No. This application is for support after a manuscript has been accepted for publication and includes uploading acceptance letters and pro forma invoices.
• If a manuscript has been accepted for publication, do you become much more eligible for support?
• Yes, all the other activities.
• How long will it take to receive a decision?
• ONOS supports applications, and the approval may take 3 to 4 weeks.
• Does ONOS support payment to publishers directly?
• ONOS states currently that the corresponding author is the person who pays the APC to the publisher and that the payment will be processed according to the applicable rules.
• Can I have ONOS support and another APC grant for the same article?
• Authors should not claim the same APC through multiple funding sources.
• What happens if my journal is not on the ONOS APC list?
• Assume it is not covered. Please check with the publisher to see if they offer any India-specific discounts or waivers.

Final Takeaway

The ONOS program has created an opportunity to mitigate financial burdens on Indian researchers to publish in selected open access journals. However, ONOS is not a universal APC waiver program. Eligibility is subject to an ONOS member institution, the author’s eligibility, an eligible journal and article, supporting documents, institutional approval, the funding rules, and support availability.

The principle for authors is straightforward:

Check → Submit → Get Accepted → Apply → Verify → Obtain APC Support → Publish Open Access.

Be sure to check the ONOS APC list before submitting your manuscript, and verify the rules again when you apply. Most importantly, do not wait until after acceptance to discover whether your journal is eligible. Check the official ONOS APC list before submitting your manuscript and verify the current rules again when applying.

Official ONOS Resources

ONOS Main Portal: https://www.onos.gov.in/

ONOS APC Support: https://www.onos.gov.in/apc-support

ONOS APC-supported Journal List: https://onos.gov.in/APCTitles

ONOS APC Application: https://www.onos.gov.in/apc

ONOS FAQ: https://onos.gov.in/public/faq

My publications or visit my LinkedIn