Open Access Adoption in Sustainable Development Goals Research Among the Indian Leading Universities

A Computational Mapping

Abstract

The present study aims to analyze Open Access (OA) research on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the five leading central universities of India from 2015 to 2024. The data has been obtained from the Web of Science, and further analysis is carried out using bibliometric and Altmetric indicators. The study seeks to trace the decadal growth of research, identify prolific authors and sources, assess the impact of influential works, and determine the leading SDG goals with the highest research output. The results reveal that the University of Delhi has the highest OA contribution to SDG research, with Scientific Reports emerging as the most prolific journal. The growth rate of OA research has shown a decline in 2023 and 2024. The University Grants Commission (UGC) is identified as the top research funder in this field. The Green route is found to be the most preferred mode of OA publishing for SDG research, followed by the Gold route. Among the different areas of SDGs, SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) has the highest research output, followed by SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being). The study highlights the vital role of central universities in advancing OA research aligned with national SDG goals. The findings can guide institutions and policymakers to strengthen OA practices and support evidence-based sustainable development.