Lok Sabha Question No. 1092 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-29
Subject: Funds to State Government Universities
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri C N Annadurai, Shri Selvam G, Shri Navaskani K

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1092

ANSWERED ON- 29/07/2024

## FUNDS TO STATE GOVERNMENT UNIVERSITIES

## 1092. Shri C N Annadurai:

Shri Selvam G:

Shri Navaskani K:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is providing funds to the specific State Government Universities  and  colleges  so  as  to  improve  the  overall  quality  of  existing  state higher educational institutions;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c)  the  quantum  of  financial  outlay  sanctioned  by  the  Government  for  the  year 2023-2024 to 2024-2025;

(d) the number of State Universities and colleges that have been benefitted during the last three years in the State of Tamil Nadu; and

(e)  the  steps  taken  or  being  taken  by  the  Government  for  the  improvement  of Higher Education in the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to  (d):  Education  is  a  subject  which  falls  under  the  concurrent  list  of  the Constitution of India, where both Centre as well as State have legislative power to make laws. State Universities are established by an Act of the State Legislation, functions under the administrative control of the concerned State and development fund for improving the overall quality of existing State higher educational institution is primarily the concern of that State Governments.

With a vision for improving access, equity and excellence in State Higher Education system through support under various components viz. Multi-Disciplinary Education and  Research  Universities  (MERU),  grants  to  strengthen  Universities,  Grants  to strengthen  Colleges, New Model Degree Colleges (NMDC) and Gender inclusion and  Equity  Initiatives  the  Central  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)  with  an  outlay  of  Rs.  12926.10 crore  for  the  period  2023-24  to  2025-26  to  cater  to  needs  of  educationally unserved/underserved areas.

Under  PM-USHA,  priority  is  given  to  Focus  Districts.  The  focus  districts  are identified  by  the  concerned  States/Union  Territories  based  on  various  criteria including  low  Gross  Enrolment  Ratio,  Gender  Parity,  population  proportion  and enrolment  proportion  for  females,  transgenders,  Scheduled  castes,  Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, Aspirational/Border Area/Left Wing Extremism prone districts etc.

Under the said scheme, 440 units have been approved with a total amount of Rs. 5613.12  crore  under  various  components.  Tamil  Nadu  has  not  signed  the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry to implement PM-USHA in the State.

During the last three years funds to 09 state Universities and 22 colleges have been released for the state of Tamil Nadu under the previous phases of RUSA.

(  e):  In  higher  education,  various  transformative  changes  include providing  muchneeded  flexibility,  allowing  creative  combination  of  subjects,  providing  multiple pathways,  establishing  equivalence  and  mobility  to  the  students  through  National Credit  Framework  (NCrF),  National  Higher  Education  Qualification  Framework, Academic Bank of Credit (ABC), multiple entry/exit;  offering of  courses  and books /  course materials in Indian Languages; conducting entrance exams such as Joint Entrance  Examination  (JEE),  The  National  Eligibility  cum  Entrance  Test ( NEET), The  Common  University  Entrance  Test  (CUET)  in  13  Indian  languages;  use  of technology to enhance access to education and for administration and governance of  Universities  and  Higher  Education  Institutes  (HEIs);  permitting  learners to  avail upto  40%  credit  Courses  from  Study  Web  of  Active-Learning  for  Young  Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM) platform; industry academia collaboration for internships and to develop courses and curriculum to meet the industry and societal needs, offering of industry-aligned courses; promoting Indian and Foreign HEIs for setting of campuses abroad and in India respectively; enhanced reputation of the Indian HEIs in  international  ranking;  embedding  of  Indian  Knowledge  system  in  the  education etc.

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