Lok Sabha Question No. 228 (STARRED), answered on 2015-08-05
Subject: Allocation of Funds for Higher Education
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: VIRENDRA  KUMAR

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT**

**DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION**

## 1 LOK SABHA

**STARRED QUESTION NO. 228**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 5** **th** **AUGUST,  2015**

**ALLOCATION OF FUNDS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION**

**†*228.	DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR:**

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

## 2 whether the Government is satisfied with the progress and achievements realised in higher education sector and if so, the details thereof;

## 3 the prescribed norms and the procedure being followed in the allocation
of funds for higher education;

## 4 the funds allocated, released and utilised for higher education during each of the last three years and the current year;

## 5 whether the Government proposes to review and revise the norms governing allocation of funds for higher education and if so, the details thereof; and

## 6 the steps taken for the promotion and growth of higher education especially unconventional streams?

## 7 

## 8 A N S W E R

**MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT**

**(** [**SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI**](http://mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/BIODATA.pdf) **)**

(a) to (e) :  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*****

**STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 228 BY DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR, HON’BLE MP  REGARDING “ALLOCATION OF FUNDS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION** ”

(a):    Yes, Madam. The 12 th Plan builds on the momentum generated during the 11 th Plan and continue the focus on the “Three Es” – expansion, equity and excellence. The plan outlay of the Department of Higher Education for 12 th Five Year Plan is Rs. 110700 crore as compared to actual expenditure of Rs. 39646.82 crore in 11 th Five Year Plan. This significant increase in Central Plan Outlay is meant for creating new institutions, strengthening existing institutions and improving quality. Central Government has launched several new schemes in the past decade such as National Mission in Education through ICT, new Central Universities, Establishment of new institutions and upgradation of existing institutions such as IITs IIMs, NITs, SPAs, IISERs, Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQUIP) and Rashtriya Uchhatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA). The increase in Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) from 20.8 in year 2011-12 to 21.1 in 2012-13 indicates increase in access to Higher Education.

(b) to (d):	Funds are allocated to Institutions of Higher Education on the basis of their requirements. The details of the funds allocated and utilized (plan + non-plan) by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development during the last three year and current year are as follows:

(Rs. in crore)

| **Year**   |   **Budget Estimate** | **Revised Estimate**   | **Expenditure**   |
|------------|-----------------------|------------------------|-------------------|
| 2012-13    |              25275.00 | 21277.00               | 20444.68          |
| 2013-14    |              26762.00 | 24485.00               | 24518.49          |
| 2014-15    |              27656.04 | 23700.00               | 23152.16          |
| 2015-16    |              26855.26 | Not Available          | Not Available     |

(e):	During the past two decades there has been a rapid expansion of the higher education system in the country.  The increasing demand of higher education needs to be understood in terms of the system’s enrolment capacity, programme focus, regional balance, modes of delivery, quality and credibility, etc.  In order to achieve and maintain high growth rate of the economy, it is essential to broaden the base of the system of higher education in the country and simultaneously ensure maintenance of requisite standards. Given limited resources in the higher education sector, the need to promote the unconventional methods such as Distance Education, Online Education and Vocational Education has become imperative.  Further, recognizing the high demand for skill in the country, the Government has introduced a new programme National Vocational Education Qualification Framework for providing common reference framework to link various vocational qualifications and setting common principles and guidelines for a nationally recognized qualification system and standards. The institutions under Department of Higher Education are autonomous bodies and are free to introduce / modify their academic curriculum including unconventional streams.

*****************