Log in to repository of 15,000-plus journals

State-run, private and deemed-to-be-universities can now log in to more than 15,000 “core and peer-reviewed journals” and anti-plagiarism free software at e-ShodhSindhu, an online repository created by the Human Resource Development ministry.

Apart from journals in multiple disciplines, the repository also has a number of bibliographic, citation and factual databases from numerous publishers and aggregators, which can be accessed at very low cost.

Earlier, access was restricted to universities and other higher education institutions run or funded by the Central government

“We have decided to be non-discriminatory and provide access to all universities, including State and private universities,” HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Friday.

The decision was taken at a national conference of vice-chancellors and directors of higher education institutions.

The three-day closed-door conference, which began on Thursday, was organised by the HRD ministry to chalk out action plans for improving the quality of higher education and research.

The ministry has also readied a software called "Turnitin" to help universities and other higher education institutions to detect plagiarism in PhD theses and other research works.

The software, which was until now available to centrally funded institutions, will be uploaded on University Grants Commission's (UGC) website, the minister said.

Research funding

The ministry also decided to invite research projects for funding under IMPRINT, from State, private and deemed-to-be-universities.

The minister launched the All India Survey of Higher Education 2017-18 along with a manual for Swachhta Ranking of Higher Education Institutions.