Open Access to Scholarly Literature in India - Centre for Internet and ...

date open access for publications by all Wellcome Trust - DBT Alliance Fellows when he
was the Minister for Science & Technology.
II
It is not enough if open access mandates are in place. People should be trained to set up
and maintain open access repositories. And researchers should be trained to self-archive
and do so willingly. Indeed, research scholars and young faculty will benefit a great deal
if they attend carefully designed workshops on scholarly communication and open access.
Similarly library and information professionals will benefit from training programmes
in access to knowledge.
We need to have a strong element of advocacy. We suggest the formation of
Taxpayers Alliance (or Citizens) for Open Access and Students for Open Access. Concerned
citizens can achieve what many formal organizations cannot.
III
Both top-down and bottom-up approaches are needed in India to achieve anything. Bottom-up
approaches will give a sense of participation. But often one finds top-down approaches
are necessary, as India still remains a hierarchical and feudal society.
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