wl-2587-Access Denied: India’s Academic Firewall

Despite the Indian Copyright Act of 1957 allowing for research use of copyrighted works, Indian researchers lack access to academic literature due to high subscription costs. The paper argues that the existing legal framework fails to protect researchers' interests, leading to a reliance on unauthorized sources for academic materials. It examines Government of India’s One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) initiative and highlights the need of a better alternative. This article examines the critical access gap to academic literature in India, exacerbated by outdated copyright laws and ineffective public library laws leading to the dominance of shadow libraries like Sci-Hub and LibGen. It highlights the need for a comprehensive legislative solution, proposing the Indian Public Access Act (IPAA) to create a centralized electronic database that would provide Indian academic institutions with equitable access to journals and research material. The IPAA will balance copyright holders' rights with public interest by establishing enforceable rights to access, addressing the systemic issues within India's academic publishing landscape.