Lok Sabha Question No. 5051 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-23
Subject: Shortage of Higher Education Institutions and Faculty in Western Uttar Pradesh
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Zia Ur Rehman

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5051 ANSWERED ON 23.03.2026

## Shortage of Higher Education Institutions and Faculty in Western Uttar Pradesh

5051. Shri Zia Ur Rehman:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  shortage  of  Government  degree  colleges, technical institutions and quality faculty in the districts of Western Uttar Pradesh;
- (b) if so, the details of the steps taken by the Government to strengthen higher education infrastructure and implement the National Education Policy in the said region;

(c) whether similar gap in educational infrastructure exists in other parts of the Country; and

- (d)  if  so,  the  details  of  the  national  initiatives  undertaken  by  the  Government  to  improve access, quality and digital education across the Country?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d): Education being in the Concurrent List, enhancing the quality of education is the responsibility of both the Central and State Governments. However, recognizing the need for  central  assistance,  the  Department  of  Higher  Education,  Government  of  India,  is implementing Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), Centrally Sponsored Scheme aimed at funding specific State government universities and colleges, so as to improve their quality by ensuring their conformity to prescribed norms and standards.

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 PM-USHA, priority is given to focus districts which are identified by the concerned States/ UTs 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 district etc.

Under  the  Scheme,  support  is  provided  to  government  and  government-aided  HEIs  of States/UTs for  strengthening  infrastructure,  including  the  construction  and  renovation  of academic and administrative buildings, hostels, research facilities, digital laboratories, and other enabling facilities required for improving access and quality in higher education, along with strengthening research and innovation output through various components viz., MultiDisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERU), Grants to Strengthen Universities  (GSU),  Grants  to  Strengthen  Colleges  (GSC),  New  Model  Degree  Colleges (NMDC) and Gender Inclusion and Equity Initiatives (GIEI).

Since the inception of the scheme, 204 units, including 66 units under PM-USHA, have been approved in the state Uttar Pradesh, with total approved amount of Rs.1942.27 crore under various  components  such  as  MERU  (Rs.100  crore),  Creation  of  Universities  by  way  of Upgradation  of  Existing  Autonomous  Colleges  (Rs.55 crore),  Grants  to  Strengthen Universities  (Rs.20  crore),  Infrastructure  Grants  to  Universities  (Rs.  20  crore),  Faculty Improvement (Rs.10 crore), etc. This includes the establishment of 26 New Model Degree Colleges and 2 New Colleges (Professional & Technical) amounting to Rs. 312 crore and Rs.52 crore, respectively.

*****