RUSA scheme which was started in 2013 to improve the Quality of Higher education in India was in news again with the Minister of HRD providing information about the scheme in the Lower house.
What is RUSA?
Rusa is the acronym of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan and its aim is to provide strategic funding to eligible state higher educational institutions.
Funding for RUSA:-
The central funding in the ratio of 65:35 for general category States and 90:10 for special category states
The funding will be given by the Union Human Resources Ministry through the state governments/union territories to the State Higher Education Councils.
Features of RUSA:-
To improve the overall quality of state institutions by ensuring conformity to prescribed norms and standards.
To usher transformative reforms in the state higher education system by creating a facilitating institutional structure for planning and monitoring at the state level, promoting autonomy in State Universities and improving governance in institutions.
To ensure reforms in the affiliation, academic and examination.
To ensure adequate availability of quality faculty.
To expand the institutional base by creating additional capacity in existing institutions and establishing new institutions, in order to achieve enrolment targets.
To correct regional imbalances in access to higher education by setting up institutions in un‐served & underserved areas.