The recent announcement of AICTE prescribing E-journals subscriptions to all Engineering and other institutions is welcome.  However the costs to the Nation in terms of Foreign Exchange is exorbitant. For Example to access 30 ejournals from Wiley Blackwell each institution is expected to spend USD $2300.00. Hoping there are about 1500 Engineering Institutions in India. The Nation will be paying like US $34,50,000 or 18,45,75,000 (eighteen point five crores in Indian Rupees). I wonder whether the total production, distribution and hosting costs of these journals would not be same if not less.

If this is the cost why can't AICTE or INFLIBNET negotiate with them for complete nations access for that amount and collect it from the Educational Institutions. At least it will benefit the private and small scale industry and all sorts of consultants to have free access.

When some country is sharing the costs of production to some extent then they can demand this sort of service.