APC (Article Publishing Charge) Support
Publish your research Open Access with eligible journals under the ONOS initiative. Find out who is eligible, which journals are covered, how to apply, and what additional publisher discounts are available.
Publish Open Access
APC support is an approved component of the ONOS scheme for eligible research articles in eligible journals.
What is APC Support?
APC means Article Publishing Charge / Article Processing Charge. Under ONOS, APC support is provided for eligible Open Access research articles in eligible journals.
In Simple Words
When you publish a research article in a fully Open Access journal, the publisher may charge an Article Processing Charge (APC). ONOS has an APC support component through which eligible APC payments can be centrally funded for eligible journals and articles, subject to the applicable ONOS rules and availability of funds.
ONOS has two important publishing benefits
APC support is one component of the broader One Nation One Subscription initiative.
- Access to scholarly content – ONOS provides access to research articles from participating publishers.
- APC support – eligible Open Access publishing charges can be centrally funded under the scheme.
- Publisher initiatives – some ONOS publishers also provide additional discounts/support.
Who Can Apply?
The applicant must satisfy the applicable ONOS eligibility requirements.
Regular Faculty
Regular faculty affiliated with an ONOS-registered eligible institution.
Students
Eligible students of ONOS-registered member institutions.
Researchers
Eligible researchers affiliated with ONOS member institutions.
Principal Investigators
Eligible Principal Investigators of Higher Education / R&D Institutions.
Is Your Article Eligible?
Check these important requirements before submitting your APC application.
Applicant Requirements
- Applicant should be the first author or corresponding author.
- Applicant must be affiliated with an ONOS-eligible institution.
- Applicant should have made a significant intellectual contribution to the article.
- Institutional affiliation needs to be authenticated as required by ONOS.
Article Requirements
- Article should be accepted for publication in an eligible journal.
- Acceptance/publication documentary evidence is required.
- Article must meet the applicable ONOS Open Access eligibility conditions.
- Multiple APC claims for the same article must not be submitted.
How to Apply for APC Support?
The ONOS process can be understood in these simple steps.
Register
Register on the ONOS APC page using your institutional email and OTP.
Select Journal
Select the journal from the predefined eligible journal list.
Submit Documents
Provide article, acceptance and other required information/documents.
Verification & Payment
ONOS verifies the request and, subject to approval/fund availability, payment is made to the publisher.
Key ONOS Conditions
These points are especially important before applying.
First / Corresponding Author
The applicant must be the first author or corresponding author of the article.
Author Declaration
Required declarations regarding intellectual contribution and APC claims must be submitted as prescribed.
No Duplicate Claim
A second claim for APC payment for the same article should not be submitted.
Other Funding
Articles having available funding from applicable government grants/funding sources may not be eligible for ONOS APC support.
First-Come, First-Serve
APC payment is processed on a first-come, first-served basis subject to applicable rules and fund availability.
Fully Open Access
ONOS APC support applies to APC charges for publishing in fully Open Access mode as per the applicable guidelines.
Additional Publisher Discounts & Support
Some publishers participating in ONOS have announced additional APC discounts or publishing benefits for eligible Indian authors.
ACM Digital Library
NO APC FOR ELIGIBLE ARTICLESUnder the ONOS Read-and-Publish agreement, authors from participating institutions can publish eligible Open Access research articles without APCs in covered ACM publications, subject to the agreement.
View ACM details →Wolters Kluwer Lippincott
50% APC SUPPORTFlat 50% APC support on a curated selection of credible Open Access and Hybrid journals under the India Open Access APC Advantage Pilot.
View initiative →Elsevier
UP TO 80% DISCOUNTGeographical Pricing for Open Access (GPOA) provides eligible Indian researchers discounts on participating fully Gold Open Access journals.
View GPOA journals →Springer Nature
75% DISCOUNTCountry-tiered APC pricing pilot provides a 75% discount for authors from India on selected journals.
View Springer details →Oxford University Press
25% INDIA DISCOUNTEligible corresponding authors based in India can receive a 25% APC discount in eligible fully Open Access journals. OUP also has waiver/discount provisions.
View OUP policy →Taylor & Francis
40% APC DISCOUNTResearch for Viksit Bharat initiative offers a 40% APC discount on selected Open Access and Hybrid interdisciplinary journals.
View T&F initiative →APC Support – FAQ
Quick answers to common questions from researchers.
Who is eligible for APC support under ONOS?
Regular faculty members, students, researchers and Principal Investigators affiliated with ONOS-registered member institutions are eligible, subject to the applicable ONOS requirements.
Which journals are covered under APC support?
APC-covered journals are selected by ONOS according to its applicable criteria. Always check the current official ONOS APC Titles list before applying.
Can I request ONOS to add a journal to the APC list?
As stated in the supplied ONOS FAQ, applicants cannot request inclusion of a journal. Eligible journals are identified according to the applicable ONOS criteria.
What documents are required for the application?
Depending on the application requirements, applicants need to provide details/documents such as the article acceptance evidence, proforma invoice and required author declarations.
How can I check my APC application status?
Submitted APC applications can be checked through the APC status facility using the registered credentials.
How long does APC processing take?
The supplied ONOS FAQ states that, after verification of the required documents, the payment process takes approximately 3–4 weeks.
Should I pay the APC myself first?
Before making any APC payment, researchers should first check the current ONOS eligibility, journal list and application process. The ONOS process provides for payment to the publisher after approval, subject to applicable procedures and fund availability.
Is APC support available for Hybrid journals?
The ONOS APC payment guidelines supplied for this page state that APC payment is for publishing in fully Open Access mode. Separate publisher initiatives may provide discounts/support for selected Hybrid journals.
Need Help with APC Support?
For ONOS APC-related queries, contact the ONOS APC support team.
Official ONOS Portal: onos.gov.in