Review of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan

• 02 Mar 2021

Why in News

The Union Education Minister chaired a review meeting on Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA).

Key Points

• About the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan:
  
  • Aim: It aims at providing strategic funding to higher education institutions throughout the country.
    
    • The scheme is being operated in mission mode for funding state universities and colleges to achieve the aims of equity, access and excellence.
  • Funding: It is a centrally sponsored scheme launched in October 2013.
    
    • Since 2016-17, the government has spent an average of Rs. 1,500 crore every year on RUSA.
  • Objectives:
    
    • Improve the overall quality of state institutions by conforming to the prescribed norms and standards.
    • Adoption of accreditation (certification of competency) as a mandatory quality assurance framework.
    • Promoting autonomy in state universities and improving governance in institutions.
    • Ensure reforms in the affiliation, academic and examination system.
    • Ensure adequate availability of quality faculty in all higher educational institutions and ensure capacity building at all levels of employment.
    • Create an enabling atmosphere for research in the higher education system.
    • Correct regional imbalances in access to higher education by setting up institutions in unserved and underserved areas.
    • Improve equity in higher education by providing adequate opportunities to the disadvantaged.
• Highlights of the Meeting:
  
  • Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER): Need to draw plans on educating additional 3.5 crore students to increase GER to 50% by 2035.
    
    • GER:
      
      • India's higher education enrollment is calculated in terms of GER, which is the ratio of population in the 18-23 age group to the number of people enrolled in higher education.
      • According to All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), the GER in higher education has increased from 25.8% in 2017-18 to 26.3% in 2018-19, while in absolute terms the enrolment increased from 3.66 crores to 3.74 crore students.
  • Focus on Local Skills: A total of 7 crore students with employable skills that suit local conditions should pass out from colleges and Universities. Education should lead to local employment. Education in Degree College should be aligned with the “One district one product (ODOP)” plan.
  • Monitoring: The University Grants Commission will monitor the progress of work done by Institutions which received funding under the RUSA Scheme.

Source: PIB