India has the fourth highest number of PhD graduates globally, according to the OECD. However, many students struggle to access research papers due to high costs and limited university resources.
Delhi, 22 Sep 2025
India has the fourth highest number of PhD graduates globally, according to the OECD. However, many students struggle to access research papers due to high costs and limited university resources.
Challenges in Accessing Research Papers
PhD students in India often come from regions where universities cannot afford journal subscriptions. They need to read hundreds of papers for their research. But papers can cost between 17,000 to 2.64 lakh rupees each to access online. This is very hard for students who only get 20,000-35,000 rupees as a monthly stipend. In August, the Delhi High Court blocked free access sites like SciHub and Libgen. This has made it even harder for students to get research papers.
Impact on Medical Research and Treatment
India made up 8.7% of SciHub downloads in 2017, with 19% related to medical research. Access to such information helps doctors treat complex diseases like drug-resistant TB. Without easy access to the latest research, it is hard for doctors in India to give the best care. This is especially true in poor areas that already lack good healthcare. Knowledge about medicine should not be a luxury that only rich people or countries can afford.
Like medicine, knowledge should never be a luxury commodity.
The scientific community and government need to work together to make research papers freely available to all students and researchers in India. Follow The Rising News for more verified updates.
Updated 22 Sep 2025, 00:56 IST; source: link
