Lok Sabha Question No. 3156 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-06
Subject: RUSA Scheme
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: RITA TARAI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO . 3156 TO BE ANSWERED ON 6 th  AUGUST, 2018

## RUSA Scheme

3156. SHRIMATI RITA TARAI:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Model Degree Colleges (MDCs) in Aspirational Districts are being set up  under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Schemes  'Rashtriya  Uchchatar  Shiksha  Abhiyan' (RUSA); and
- (b) if so, whether there is any proposal of the Ministry to provide assistance for faculty support for at least five years and also to provide support for establishment of MDCs in other backward districts of Odisha and more specifically in the Blocks?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. SATYA PAL SINGH)

- (a)  &  (b):  NITI  Aayog  has  identified  117  districts  as  'Aspirational  Districts'.  These districts have been selected on the basis of composite index which includes published data of deprivation enumerated under Socio-Economic Caste Census, Health &Nutrition, Education and Basic Infrastructure.

During  the  second  phase  of  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), central assistance is provided for opening of new Model Degree Colleges(MDCs) in  'Aspirational Districts' identified by NITI Aayog and in  unserved  &  underserved  districts  in  North  Eastern  and  Himalayan  States.  The Project  Approval  Board  (PAB)  of  RUSA  has  approved  central  support  for  one  MDC each in 70 such districts including 6 in Odisha.

An Expert Committee constituted by the University Grants Commission (UGC) had  identified  374  Educationally  Backward  Districts  (EBDs)  where  Gross  Enrolment

Ratio (GER) in higher education was less than the national average of 12.4% based on 2001 census data. During the first phase of RUSA, central assistance to States has been provided for creation of one Model Degree College each in 60 EBDs including 8 in Odisha. The central support provided under the component of new

MDCs  is infrastructural  in  nature  in  which  funds  are  released  for  creation  of  Colleges  with requisite infrastructure such as appropriate number of class rooms, library, laboratory, faculty  rooms,  toilet  blocks  and  other  essential  requirements  for  technologically advanced facilities. Further, under this component, a commitment is given by the State Governments that all recurring expenditure (including salaries) in respect of the MDC being established, will be borne by the respective State Government. Additionally,  under  a  separate  component  of  RUSA  viz.,  Faculty  Recruitment

Support,  central  support  is  provided  for  creation  of  additional  posts  of  Assistant Professors subject to specific norms and approved period of the scheme (i.e. upto 31 st March 2020). Further, under this component, a commitment is required to be given by the State Governments to take over liability of such faculty positions after 31 st March 2020.

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