Lok Sabha Question No. 263 (STARRED), answered on 2016-12-05
Subject: Spending on Education
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: CHANDU LAL SAHU

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 263 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.12.2016

## SPENDING ON EDUCATION

## *263. SHRI CHANDU LAL SAHU:

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

(a)  the  percentage  of  Gross  Domestic  Product  presently  spent  on  Higher  Education  in  the country and plans drawn to improve the same;

(b)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  most  of  education  at  graduate  level  in  India  is comparatively low when compared to global standards and if so, the reasons therefor; and

(c) the corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  263  BY  SHRI  CHANDU  LAL  SAHU  HON'BLE  MP REGARDING `SPENDING ON EDUCATION' TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.12.2016

(a): As per publication `Analysis of Budgeted Expenditure on Education - 2015' of Ministry of Human Resource Development, public expenditure on higher education as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the year 2013-14 is 1.34%

Allocation  of  funds  for  education  is  made  by  the  Government  keeping  in  view  inter-se priority of other sector of the economy. During XII Five Year Plan, the Plan Outlay   for the Department of Higher Education is Rs.1,10,700 crore as compared to actual expenditure in XI Five year Plan which was Rs.39,646.82 crore.  This is an increase of about 2.79 times. This increase in Central Plan Outlay for Education Sector presents a determined effort on the part of Central Government for raising public spending on Higher Education.

The Government has approved the proposal for setting up the Higher Education Financing Agency  (HEFA)  for  financing  creation  of  required  infrastructure  and  for  promotion  of research  facilities  in  the  centrally  aided  institutions  of  higher  learning  by  leveraging  funds from the market. The Government would provide an equity of Rs. 1,000 Crore.  The loans would be serviced from the internal accruals of these institutions, and the Government would meet the cost of interest on such loans. The process for finalization of the participating Bank is  underway. With the devolution of  more funds to the States as recommended by the 14 th Finance  Commission,  States  are  in  position  to  prioritize  allocation  of  funds  to  education sector.

(b) & (c): The quality of higher education in the country at all levels including graduate level is comparable with the global standards. However, to improve the quality of higher education in the country, Government has announced its resolve to promote 20 universities to become world-class teaching and research institutions - 10 public and 10 private through a liberalised regulatory framework. Accordingly, UGC has issued draft guidelines and invited suggestions from  all  stakeholders.  Apart  from  this,  various  schemes,  namely,  Rashtriya  Uchchatar Shiksha  Abhiyan  (RUSA),  Global  Initiative  for  Academics  Network  (GIAN),  Impacting Research, Innovation & Technology (IMPRINT), Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme(TEQIP),  Pandit  Madan  Mohan  Malviya  National  Mission  on  Teachers  and Teaching  (PMMMNMTT)  Study  Webs  of  Active-Learning  for  Young  Aspiring  Minds (SWAYAM),  National  Digital  Library,  campus  connect  programme,  Uchhatar  Avishkar

Abhiyan,  Unnat  Bharat  Abhiyan  are  being  implemented  to  improve  the  quality  of  higher education in the country. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) assess and accredit institutions learning  processes,  evaluation,  faculty,  research,  infrastructure  etc.    The  accreditation  of of higher education in the country based on selected parameters such as curriculum, teachinginstitutions by NAAC enables them to take remedial measures for qualitative improvement.

To ensure  quality  of  education,  the  National  Board  of  Accreditation  (NBA)  is  engaged  in periodic  evaluation  of  technical  institutions  on  the  basis  of  programmes  as  per  specified norms  and  standards  in  accordance  with  the  best  international  practices  with  the  overall objective of assurance of quality and relevance of education, especially in the programmes in professional and technical disciplines.

Ranking of  the  institutions  under  the  National  Institutional  Ranking  Framework  (NIRF)  is also being done to create a sense of competitiveness among them for better rating.

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