Lok Sabha Question No. 3970 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-18
Subject: Multi-disciplinary Education and Research University
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Arun Bharti

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3970 ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025

## Multi-disciplinary Education and Research University

3970. Shri Arun Bharti:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION

be pleased to state:

- (a) the progress made on establishment of Multi-disciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs) as envisioned in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020;
- (b)  the  details  of  the  locations  identified  and  the  funds  allocated  for  setting  up  these universities; and
- (c)  the  timeline  by  which  these  MERUs  are  expected  to become operational and the role they are expected to play in promoting holistic and multi-disciplinary education?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (Dr. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a) to (c): In alignment with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Government has launched the third phase of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) in June 2023 in  the  form  of  Pradhan  Mantri  Uchchatar  Shiksha Abhiyan  (PM-USHA) for the period 2023-24  to  2025-26  with  an  outlay  of  Rs.  12926.10  crore,  including  the  committed liabilities of the earlier phases of RUSA, to cater to the needs of educationally unserved/ underserved areas. Under the Multi-Disciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERU)  component  of  PM-USHA,  35  Universities  have  been  approved  for  a  total amount  of  Rs.  100  crore  each.  The  State-wise  details  of  MERUs  approved  are  at Annexure.

Under MERU component, the Universities in  respective  States/ UTs  are  expected  to undertake  various  mandatory  activities  such  as  (i)  implementation  of  National  Credit Framework (NCrF)  and  Choice  Based  Credit  System  (CBCS)  and  implementation  of elective  course  system;  (ii)  adoption  of  Academic  Bank  of  Credits;  (iii)  using  Online Distance  Learning  (ODL)  and  Online  Programmes  such  as  SWAYAM/MOOCS;  (iv) courses  in  Indian  Languages;  (v)  embedding  Indian  knowledge  System  (IKS)  in  the Curriculum; (vi) bridge courses for socially and economically disadvantaged students; (vii)  Vocational  courses  for  21 st century  skills, Internships/Training,  etc.  towards achieving  higher  levels  of  access,  equity,  and  excellence  and  promoting  holistic  and multi-disciplinary education.

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ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (A)  TO  (C)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  3970  ANSWERED  ON  18.08.2025  ASKED  BY  SHRI ARUN BHARTI, HON'BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING MULTIDISCIPLINARY EDUCATION AND RESEARCH UNIVERSITY

State-wise details of Multi-disciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs) approved under Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA)

|   S. No. | State            | District            | University                                        |   Total Amount Approved (Rs. in Cr.) |
|----------|------------------|---------------------|---------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
|        1 | Andhra Pradesh   | Chittoor            | Sri Padmavathi Mahila Visva Vidyalayam, Tirupathi |                               100    |
|        2 | Assam            | Dibrugarh           | Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh                   |                               100    |
|        3 | Bihar            | Darbhanga           | Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Darbhanga       |                               100    |
|        4 | Bihar            | Patna               | Patna University, Patna                           |                               100    |
|        5 | Chhattisgarh     | Bastar              | Shaheed Mahendra Karma Vishwavidyalaya, Jagdalpur |                               100    |
|        6 | Goa              | North Goa           | Goa University, Goa                               |                                99.99 |
|        7 | Gujarat          | Rajkot              | Saurashtra University, Rajkot                     |                               100    |
|        8 | Gujarat          | Surat               | Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat       |                               100    |
|        9 | Himachal Pradesh | Shimla              | Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla               |                               100    |
|       10 | Jharkhand        | Hazaribagh          | Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribagh               |                                99.78 |
|       11 | Karnataka        | Belagavi            | Rani Channamma University, Belagavi               |                               100    |
|       12 | Karnataka        | Bengaluru Urban     | Bangalore University, Bangalore                   |                               100    |
|       13 | Kerala           | Kannur              | Kannur University                                 |                               100    |
|       14 | Kerala           | Malappuram          | University of Calicut, Malappuram                 |                               100    |
|       15 | Kerala           | Thiruvanantha puram | University of Kerala                              |                               100    |
|       16 | Madhya Pradesh   | Bhopal              | Barkatullah University, Bhopal                    |                               100    |
|       17 | Madhya Pradesh   | Gwalior             | Jiwaji University, Gwalior                        |                               100    |
|       18 | Madhya Pradesh   | Ujjain              | Vikram University, Ujjain                         |                               100    |

|   S. No. | State         | District                               | University                                                  |   Total Amount Approved (Rs. in Cr.) |
|----------|---------------|----------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
|       19 | Maharashtra   | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) | Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad    |                                  100 |
|       20 | Maharashtra   | Gadchiroli                             | Gondwana University, Gadchiroli                             |                                  100 |
|       21 | Maharashtra   | Mumbai                                 | Smt. Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women's Univeristy, Mumbai |                                  100 |
|       22 | Maharashtra   | Solapur                                | Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Solapur University, Solapur    |                                  100 |
|       23 | Odisha        | Cuttack                                | Ravenshaw University, Cuttack                               |                                  100 |
|       24 | Odisha        | Ganjam                                 | Berhampur University, Berhampur                             |                                  100 |
|       25 | Odisha        | Mayurbhanj                             | Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University               |                                  100 |
|       26 | Odisha        | Sambalpur                              | Sambalpur University, Sambalpur                             |                                  100 |
|       27 | Rajasthan     | Jodhpur                                | Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur                         |                                  100 |
|       28 | Telangana     | Mahbubnagar                            | Palamuru University, Mahabubnagar                           |                                  100 |
|       29 | Uttar Pradesh | Ayodhya                                | Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Awadh University, Faizabad            |                                  100 |
|       30 | Uttar Pradesh | Bareilly                               | Mahatama Jyotiba Phule Rohikhand University, Bareilly       |                                  100 |
|       31 | Uttar Pradesh | Gorakhpur                              | Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur         |                                  100 |
|       32 | Uttar Pradesh | Jhansi                                 | Bundelkhand University, Jhansi                              |                                  100 |
|       33 | Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow                                | University of Lucknow                                       |                                  100 |
|       34 | Uttar Pradesh | Meerut                                 | Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut                   |                                  100 |
|       35 | Uttarakhand   | Nainital                               | Kumaun University, Nainital                                 |                                  100 |

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