Understanding the State of Open Access Publishing in India: Where Do We Stand?
Location
Online
Start Date
21-10-2025 10:00 AM
End Date
21-10-2025 10:20 AM
Description
The seed of Open Access publishing was sown at the meeting held in Budapest in 2002, which marked a revolutionary step in scholarly communication. This bold declaration laid the foundation for a movement committed to making research freely and openly available. It will be the silver jubilee of the Open Access (OA) movement next year. In these years, numerous initiatives have emerged to strengthen and expand the reach of Open Access. The OA landscape has evolved by introducing varied publishing models, policy mandates, and platforms. Therefore, this study was conducted among a diverse sample (n=287) of Indian researchers who participated in nationwide capacity-building programmes supported by the Open Research Funders Group (ORFG). The survey aimed to capture insights into how researchers engage with and understand Open Access publishing. The respondents represented a broad spectrum of academic disciplines, including law, journalism, agriculture, chemical sciences, biological sciences, physical sciences, medical and health sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities, engineering, and technology. This disciplinary diversity gave a more holistic understanding of the varying awareness, motivation, and barriers associated with Open Access publishing across different knowledge domains. The study explored various aspects of publishing practices, including researchers’ experience with Open Access journals, key criteria for journal selection, awareness of OA publishing models, motivations for OA publishing, its perceived role in advancing scholarship, encountered challenges, and views on institutional support, policy advocacy, and the need for training and education.
Understanding the State of Open Access Publishing in India: Where Do We Stand?
Online
The seed of Open Access publishing was sown at the meeting held in Budapest in 2002, which marked a revolutionary step in scholarly communication. This bold declaration laid the foundation for a movement committed to making research freely and openly available. It will be the silver jubilee of the Open Access (OA) movement next year. In these years, numerous initiatives have emerged to strengthen and expand the reach of Open Access. The OA landscape has evolved by introducing varied publishing models, policy mandates, and platforms. Therefore, this study was conducted among a diverse sample (n=287) of Indian researchers who participated in nationwide capacity-building programmes supported by the Open Research Funders Group (ORFG). The survey aimed to capture insights into how researchers engage with and understand Open Access publishing. The respondents represented a broad spectrum of academic disciplines, including law, journalism, agriculture, chemical sciences, biological sciences, physical sciences, medical and health sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities, engineering, and technology. This disciplinary diversity gave a more holistic understanding of the varying awareness, motivation, and barriers associated with Open Access publishing across different knowledge domains. The study explored various aspects of publishing practices, including researchers’ experience with Open Access journals, key criteria for journal selection, awareness of OA publishing models, motivations for OA publishing, its perceived role in advancing scholarship, encountered challenges, and views on institutional support, policy advocacy, and the need for training and education.
