INFLIBNET Centre: A UGC Initiative for Strengthening Academic Libraries in India

The Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET) Centre an Inter-University Centre (IUC) of the University Grants Commission (UGC) has been a cornerstone of India’s nationwide effort to modernize academic libraries since 1991. This paper reviews INFLIBNET’s major services (e-ShodhSindhu, N-LIST, Shodhganga, ShodhShuddhi, SOUL, IndCat, INFED/identity federation, IRINS/VIDWAN and e-content projects), synthesizes findings from published research about their usage and impact, and identifies ongoing challenges and researchable opportunities. Drawing on government/INFLIBNET documentation and academic studies, the review finds that INFLIBNET’s combination of consortial licensing, national repositories, library automation, identity federation, and plagiarism-detection provision has measurably expanded access, improved operational efficiency, and enhanced research visibility while also revealing persistent gaps in awareness, training, and tool-quality evaluation. It draws on official documentation and recent developments to argue that INFLIBNET functions as national scholarly infrastructure coordinating resources, standards, and services that reduce costs, increase equity of access, and raise research quality for universities and colleges throughout India.