Suber, Peter; Nair, R Raman; Hussain, K H(INFLIBNET Center, February 25, 2009)
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Abstract:
The importance of doctoral dissertations, the extend of public fund utilized for their production,
need for their open access, concepts of Open Access and the arguments for and against it are discussed
in detail. A brief historical outline of the attempts in India for digitizing and providing Open Acess
to Doctoral Dissertations is provided. The development of the Open Access Digital Archives of
Mahatma Gandhi University is examined as an opportunity for other implementers and developers
to gain both technical and non-technical insight. Recommendations for establishing a national agency
for ensuring OA to doctoral dissertations produced in Indian universities is provided. Discussion on
Open Access Initiative and the creation of OA Archives of Dissertations at MGU can reveal to other
intuitions in India that it is not a costly or difficult task as generally considered. The paper can
infuse interest and confidence to universities and research institutions in India to provide OA to
their research works.